The Flash: Moving Forward
by Clash of the Legends
Summary: There's a new Meta-Human loose in the Gem Cities and he's out for blood, leaving a trail of bodies and dust everywhere. He's now got his eyes set on the Flash and everyone he holds dear. It's up to Team Flash to discover this murdering meta-human's plan and put a stop to it, but can anyone stop a Meta-Human who can give both the Flash and the Reverse-Flash a run for their money?
1. The Man in the Black Suit

**Disclaimer: **The following is a nonprofit Fan based story; The FLASH and all related characters are owned by DC comics, the CW and anyone I may have missed

**A/N:** So this is my second FLASH story, this first chapter is basically a gutted and redone version of my first Story, aside from that it'll be completely different. So I hope you all enjoy it and stick around for the long haul. I have decided on Pairings so don't demand too much of those cause I plan to have cute WestAllen scenes, some SnowBarry moments, some SnowStorm, some IrisxEddie and any healthy bonding moments between characters that are not romantically involved before I gradually reveal the official pairings.

Chronologically this will be before Episode 13. Also I will be using quite a bit of lore from the actual comics (both old and New 52), mostly including characters and I will be taking liberty with some of their back stories, but mostly keeping their origins the same as their New 52 since that is the comic book canon.

* * *

_The Flash: Moving Forward_

Chapter 1: The Man in the Black Suit

* * *

**SWOOOSH** a streak of red followed closely by yellow lightning raced through the streets of Central City without a care in the world, hell one could argue that he was on cloud nine. There had been no reports of any meta-human activity for the last week, he had a nice quiet date with Linda Park, his girlfriend and he had just finished another rooftop 'interview' with Iris West, his first love and now he was heading back to STAR Labs so he could head home for the night.

"_Barry!"_ A voice in his headset said.

While still moving at 357 mph and raising one hand to his lightning bolt shaped earpiece Barry replied. "What's up?"

"_I've got reports of an armed robbery in progress at 106 uh… Fox Street._" Cisco's voice said in his ear. "_Take care of it._"

**WOOOSH **Barry took off and in mere seconds he rushed into the house grabbed the burglar and handcuffed him to a lamppost just outside the apartment, but not before removing the ski mask and clothes from the dumbfounded man.

"Alright that's all set." Barry said coming to a stop just around the corner where no one could see him. "What else you guys got for me?" he said back to his friends at Star Labs.

_"I think that's good for tonight Mr. Allen."_ Dr. Harrison Wells interjected. _"Come back to the lab. I want to run a couple of tests before you head home tonight. Oh and make it quick, weather reports are calling for a large rain storm tonight. We don't want you catch a cold now do we?"_

"Sure thing Dr. Wells." Barry replied before zooming off to Star Labs. "Even if I could catch a cold Caitlin would still get mad at me." Before he went anywhere he stumbled slightly before regaining his composure.

"_Don't test me Mr. Allan. I'll have a field day if you get sick at all."_ Dr. Snow's voice said in his ear.

Over the last couple of hours Barry has been having throbbing headaches mixed with lightheadedness, each one growing in intensity, but none of them lasting more than a minute, which for the flash could be an agonizingly long time.

**RMMMMM** Thunder rumbled in the air as Barry skidded to a stop holding his head for another moment.

"Whoa…" Barry said feeling light headed once more.

"_Barry you OK?"_ Caitlin's concerned voice said in his ear. "_Your vitals spiked for a moment."_

"_So did your energy output." _Wells added

"I'm fine." Barry said "I'm just a little hungry that's all." He replied

"_Barry this hasn't happened before. So clearly it isn't because you're hungry. Your hyper metabolism doesn't cause your vitals and energy output to spike. It causes them to drop."_

"Guys, I'm seriously fine." He took another step forward and stumbled immediately while yellow electricity crackled all over his body. "Whoa…" he said "OK maybe I'm not fine…" **KRRRKKL **the electricity amplified and collected around his chest.

* * *

"Whoa, what was that?" Cisco wondered seeing Barry's energy levels begin to spike.

* * *

**KRRKKL** suddenly an arm shot out from the electricity on his chest. The arm was covered in black armor with some of the pieces resembling spikes on its elbow and wreathed in crackling red electricity. "What the…"

* * *

"His vitals are dropping and his energy output is increasing dramatically. Barry!" Caitlin almost yelled into the microphone.

* * *

**KRAKOOOOOM** with a roar of thunder and a flash of crimson lightning a figure emerged completely from the lightning of Barry Allen. The figure was clad completely in a full body suit of black spiked armor, though the chest and face were red. In the center of the chest was a black circle with a red lightning bolt on it (going the opposite way of Barry's own insignia.) Little red bolts stuck off his ears while three red spiked poked off from his mid calves. His right arm however was entirely mechanical from the elbow down, nothing but cold steel and some visible red electric currents arcing all over it.

* * *

"Barry, can you hear us? What's going on?" Wells asked but his questions fell on deaf ears for the moment as Barry collapsed and could only look up at the thing that emerged from him.

* * *

"_**I'MFREE**_!" The figure yelled in delight. His voice sounded like a mix between the way Barry vibrated his own vocal cords and extremely fast talking. If Barry didn't have super speed there would have been no way to understand him. "_**AFTERSOLONGI'MFREE**_!"

After the ordeal of another man emerging from him Barry collapsed to the ground, barely holding himself up as he looked up at the figure who quickly turned around Barry, grinning like a psychopath.

"_**MythanksFlash**_!" The figure said to Barry "_**Ifitweren'tforyouI'dstillbetrappedin…**_" He stopped talking when he got a good look at Barry. "_**Waitaminute…whoareyou**_?" he asked "_**You'renottheFlash**__**!**_" **SWOOOSH** in a blur of red electricity he grabbed Barry by the neck of his costume and hoisted him up. "_**TELLMEWHERETHEFLASHIS**_!"

"I'm…the Flash…" Barry managed to squeeze out

"_**You'refartooyoung!There'snowaythatyou're**__…"_He took a good look at Barry's masked face. Quickly the young Flash vibrated his face in the hopes the man in black wouldn't recognize him. "_**Ha!YoutotallyareFlash!Hahahahaha!Wait…"**_ He was suddenly hit with a realization and took a moment to ponder it, letting Barry go and rubbing his own chin in the process. "_**Don'ttellmeitworked!Hahahaha!"**_ He began to cackle like a madman once more. "_**Itdidn' **_." He raised his mechanical arm as red electricity arced all over his body.

* * *

"Hey Barry! Can you hear me?" Cisco called into the microphone

"He clearly has a good reason for not responding. Barry!" Caitlin said concerned as she watched his vitals dip fairly low for Barry's standards.

'_What's going on?' _Wells thought to himself as he observed the huge energy readings from Barry. "His body just discharged a massive amount of energy. Cisco, Caitlin go get him. I've got a bad feeling that Barry isn't going to have the strength to get back-" **WOOOSH** before Dr. Wells could finish his sentence Barry Allen returned to Star Labs, only he looked a lot worse than wear collapsing on the computed panel between Caitlin and Cisco. "-here."

"Barry!" Caitlin moved immediately to hoist him up, slinging his arm over her shoulder and they all got a good look at him. While his suit was slightly torn (much to Cisco's displeasure) He had a black eye, cut lip, bloody nose, another cut across his nose and a fairly decent gash on his forehead.

"Barry what happened?" Dr. Wells asked rolling closer to the young flash.

"A…man…" Barry said before falling unconscious leaving his friends worried.

* * *

Several hours later Barry groggily woke up, lying on a S.T.A.R. Labs med bed. He tried to sit up but Caitlin was there in a heartbeat forcing him to stay put.

"Take it easy Barry." She advised. "You're body's still in a lot of pain and pain killers won't last long enough.

"Oh man…this hurts as bad as that Supersonic Punch."

"Don't deny it was awesome." Cisco said coming into the room sucking on a lollipop. "OK true your fist did collide with a metal was at Mach 1.1 but it was cool!" Caitlin shot him a look that screamed 'not helping' causing Cisco to slunk back some.

"Damn. Why does everything still hurt?" Barry asked his two scientist friends.

"You have four fractured ribs, one of which punctured your spleen, half a dozen bruises both internal and external, a nondisplaced fracture in your left tibia, dislocated left shoulder, a concussion and you lost about a pint of blood." Caitlin recited "I think this beats your last record for injury variety.

"You said 'have' that time." Barry replied noticing Caitlin give Cisco a look before continuing.

"You're also not healing quickly from these wounds." She finished

"What?" Barry asked

"Let me rephrase that." Caitlin began "You're not healing as quickly as you used to. I would guess that this would take two to three hours to heal normally for you, but at the current rate it will take at least another six hours."

"How long has it been?" Barry asked

"You've been here for the last-"

"Nine hours, 26 minutes and" Dr. Wells said as he rolled into the main lab looking at his watch. "39 seconds." Wells met Barry's eyes "It is seven o'clock in the morning if you were wondering."

"How's it possible that I'm not healing as quickly? That guy didn't exactly have cold related abilities or a cold gun like Snart."

"We have no idea." Caitlin replied honestly

"And that Mr. Allen is what we're hoping you could help us with. What can you tell us about the man who attacked you?"

"He came out of me like I was some kind of door and then he beat the ever living crap out of me after claiming that I was too young to be the Flash, though he did seem to accept that I am the Flash rather quickly after he went on about something working." That part piqued Well's interest.

"He came out of you?" Cisco asked confused

"Yeah…" Barry sighed "I felt all this electricity generating off me, collecting on me and then boom! This guy just suddenly comes out and starts to beat me up."

"Fascinating perhaps he's a meta-human who can travel through electrically charged objects."

"But that still doesn't explain how he 'came out of Barry." Caitlin chimed in looking up from her med kit.

"Or he's a ghost." Cisco said "The Ghost! That's what we're calling him."

"He was pretty solid for a ghost Cisco, Sorry but I think that Dr. Well's is right about his ability." Barry said as Caitlin used some wet gaws to clean one of the cuts on Barry's face. He twitched slightly at the sting.

"Sorry." she said putting the gaws down and picking up a syringe. "I need to take another blood sample." Barry rolled up his left sleeve in compliance and she drew out some of his blood.

"Anything else about him?" Wells asked "Any distinguishing features that will help us identify him?"

"He had this full body spiked suit, it covered his face, generated red electricity and he's got a metal right arm. Oh, he also talked very strangely."

"How strangely?" The paraplegic doctor asked

"Well _**he was vibrating his vocal cords like this and talkedreallyfastlikethis**__._ So it made it hard to understand him."

"Uh...dude. We couldn't even understand what you just said." Cisco pointed out.

"It's quite simple Cisco. Barry is saying that this meta-human's voice is both oscillating and extremely fast paced to the point of no control." Dr. Wells surmised.

"Yeah, it definitely sounded like he had no control over his voice."

"I could do a lot with those." Cisco said pondering up a new nickname. "Got it! How about the Crimson Arc!"

"Didn't a character on Heroes have that name?" Caitlin asked tilting her head slightly

"Not your best work Cisco." Barry said sitting up.

"You're right, I'll think of something better later." Cisco said

Barry smiled at Cisco's optimism before feeling a headach for a split moment and winced, which didn't go unnoticed by Dr. Wells or Caitlin.

"Are you OK Barry?"

"I'd be lying if I said yes." Barry said as he lay back down. "I was having moments where I've felt a mix of a massive headache and lightheaded at once."

"You've been having something akin to migraines? How long?" Caitlin asked slightly irritated that Barry had neglected to tell them this information.

"All day yesterday." Barry replied "Though I haven't had one since that man emerged and attacked me." Caitlin pondered for a moment before responding. She went over to the glass cabinet and pulled out an IV bag.

"Here let's hook up this IV of electrolytes. Have you been drinking?"

"You know I can't get drunk."

"I mean water. Lightheaded and headaches are common with dehydration."

"Kind of," Barry replied "but honestly that last one wasn't even much of a thing. I really don't feel them anymore."

"You're going to be drinking more in addition to the large amounts of food you eat." Caitlin prescribed. "For now I think you should drink at least three waters a day, and that's without using your powers. Your body needs a lot of fluids."

"Since we have no clue as to what this new Meta-human did to you I advise that you stay here where we can monitor any changes in you." Wells said removing his glasses and rubbing his face. "So get some sleep for now Barry, your body still needs to heal. I'll let Joe know what happened."

"Thanks Dr. Wells." Barry said as he closed his eyes, though that didn't seem to help the throbbing pain that was growing in his head. "Let's just hope the Day job doesn't call within the next day." No sooner than he finished his sentence that his cellphone began to ring. "Speak of the Devil…" He looked at the name, Joe. "Hey Joe." Barry said answering the phone. "Oh, me? I'm fine. I'm at S.T.A.R. Labs, ran into a nasty meta-human last night."

* * *

"Oh, that's good to hear." Joe said as he arrived at a new crime scene. "Just wanted to know when you were going to get to the station, cause I've got a strange case with your name on it."

"_How strange?"_ Barry asked

"You'd have to see it to believe it. Double homicide. No witnesses or evidence of how they were murdered, all that's left are two dusty skeletons." Joe replied as he stood just outside the crime scene. "We don't have a clue as to who they are. Or anyway of identifying the bodies."

"_That sounds like a challenge to my awesome forensics skills."_

"Yeah, well I have everything I need except for one thing."

"_What might that be?"_

"My forensics scientist."

* * *

"OK, I'm so sorry Joe." Barry said as he slapped his forehead, realizing that he needed to be there. "I'll be there in a flash Joe." He hung up but before he could leave Caitlin stopped him.

"Oh no, you are not going out there, not when you still haven't fully recovered." His personal physician ordered.

"Come on…" Barry whined as Caitlin forced him back onto the bed. "My day job beckons and they need me."

"No, Caitlin's right. We have no idea what this meta-human did to you. For all we know he's just like Farooq and siphoned off some of your powers." Dr. Wells said seriously "When we know what exactly happened to you and you're healed you can go. I'll tell Detective West since you are incapable of even doing that right now."

"Fine…" Barry complied as he lay back down on the bed and rolled up the sleeves of his S.T.A.R. Labs sweatshirt. "Guess I'll take a nap. Wake me up when I've healed."

"Will do dude." Cisco told the Flash as he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

* * *

Hours later, a little longer than Caitlin's prediction, Barry was finally discharged form S.T.A.R Labs and the first thing he did was meet up with Joe at the CCPD.

"Hey Joe!" Barry called out to his pseudo father.

"There you are Barry!" Joe replied in serious cop mode before pulling him to the side "Dr. Wells told me what happened are you OK?"

"Considering that the Flash was caught off guard and beaten up by a meta-human with some crazy ability that seems to be almost exactly the same as mine, I'm fine." Barry replied sarcastically.

"You just referred to yourself in the third person Barry." Joe pointed out which Barry kind of ignored "Was it him?" He asked cautiously

"The man in yellow?" Detective West nodded "No it wasn't him, but he was very similar."

Joe took a deep breath. "Well, whoever he is. You've got to forget about him, for now here's the evidence from the double homicide." Joe handed a box of evidence to Barry. "Now listen, right now our top priority is identifying the bodies. I am almost positive that you'll need some help from our friends at S.T.A.R. labs."

"Yeah, I'll bring over some images and samples later. So it doesn't seem too conspicuous."

"ALLEN!" Barry and Joe turned to see Captain David Singh angrily walking towards them. "Where the hell were you this morning?" he demanded

"Captain Singh I was…"

"He was feeling under the weather." Joe interjected to the Captain before Barry said a dumb and silly excuse. "I told you about it this morning captain, remember?" Singh's face relaxed slightly before turning to Barry.

"I want that evidence processed and a report on my desk by 5 tonight." The Captain ordered before heading off to his office.

Joe turned to Barry who just smiled at him. "Well? You head the Captain. Get to work." Barry continued smiling at Joe as he headed up to his lab.

"This is so weird. Everything points to these bodies being hundreds of years old, but we've got witnesses that saw the victims yesterday." Barry said to himself as he combed every inch of the evidence.

Going through the photos of the crime scene Barry finally noticed a clue. Portions of the sidewalk no bigger than a size eleven shoe were severely damaged while everything else was completely new; or much newer by comparison.

"Clearly this was the work of a meta-human, but what kind of ability does this kind of damage and why would he attack random innocent people?" That just seemed way to out of the ordinary that Barry couldn't process it. "It has to be him, but this doesn't make any sense!" Barry practically yelled.

"What doesn't make any sense?" Barry looked up to see Iris walking into his lab carrying two cups of Jitters Coffee.

"Oh, hey Iris." Barry said putting on the face he usually showed Iris. "Just some of the evidence in this case. What brings you here?"

"Well for starters I was visiting my boyfriend, and I learned from my Dad you were working late on a case, so I thought I'd bring some coffee to my favorite forensic scientist." Iris said handing him one of the coffees.

"You know I am a forensics assistant right? And for the record I am the only forensics scientist you know." Barry replied taking a sip of coffee. Decaf just how he liked it, as long as he had super speed there was no way he was going to even try caffeine, besides he never really liked it in the first place. "Also I wasn't just working a case last night; I was on a date last night." Barry said taking another sip of coffee.

"With Linda?" Iris asked

"Well, yeah. Who else would I be going on a dinner date with?" Barry replied smiling "So why are you really here?"

"Hey, I'm trying to lighten the mood." Iris explained "My editor wants me to write another article on the Flash. Honestly I'd rather write about something else. Improve my credit as a journalist you know."

"And this has to do with me how?" Barry asked

"Well, I was wondering if you could tell me anything about any ongoing police investigations that may be involved with him."

"Can't say we do; besides I don't think I'm at liberty to discuss any ongoing investigations." Barry said "The only case we have that could even be remotely related to the Flash is this." He said handing her an envelope of the double homicide.

Iris scanned through the documents, stopping at the pictures of the dusty skeletons. "My god…"

"I know right? Those have had me stumped for…" He looked at his watch trying to come up with some crazy length of time. "At least the last ten hours."

"You must really want to catch this bad guy if you're willing to forego sleep and work at three oclock in the morning."

"I did take a six hour nap last night." Barry corrected "Eleven to Five."

"Aw, you're so cute when you've been working really hard; you should take a break once in a while."

"Can't do that." Barry replied "The bad guy'll get away if I don't. That and Captain Singh will yell at me for not doing anything."

"You should leave catching bad guys to the Flash Barry." She didn't even notice the slight change in his expression.

"You seem to have your faith in him restored." Barry commented.

"Yeah well…I figured that since Eddie did risk his own life to save the Flash a few weeks ago and the fact Eddie says that there's someone else just like him I should have given him the benefit of the doubt." Iris sat down on the edge of Barry's desk.

"Well in that case you wanna grab some lunch?" Barry asked quickly changing the subject "I've been working this case all morning and I'm dying to get away from it. Plus I'm starving."

"Are you, like, stress eating or something?" Iris asked "Is that why you've been eating so much over the last several months?"

"Uh…yeah…" Barry replied smiling

"You must be running like a madman for those pounds to not catch up to you."

"You have no idea." Barry said standing up. "Let's get some lunch, I'll pay."

* * *

Meanwhile back in S.T.A.R. Labs Dr. Harrison Wells entered his secret room and addressed his computer.

"**Good Day Dr. Wells**."

"One can always hope Gideon. Bring up a search please." He asked "Search for anything related to a man in a black suit with red lightning."

"**Searching…0 results found.**"

"Keep looking!" Wells ordered

"**Searching…0 results found**. **Would you like to reset parameters**?"

"New parameters add Metal right arm and abnormal speech." Wells was getting impatient. If this meta-human was capable of harming Barry to such a degree he was dangerous, highly dangerous.

"**Searching…0 results found**."

Wells slammed his hands down in frustration. "It's like whomever, or whatever attacked Barry, doesn't even exist. Keep looking Gideon, and adjust the Parameters to include Barry Allen, the Flash and…The Reverse-Flash."

* * *

Later that day Barry and Iris were leaving Jitters just talking like they usually do.

"I'm serious." Barry said to her smiling

"There's no way that's true." Iris shot back with a smile of her own. "You made that up."

"I swear I didn't, 7000 deaths occur each year because of a doctor's crappy handwriting. You've never noticed that all doctors had bad handwriting?"

Iris just laughed at Barry's silly nerd facts. "I don't know if what you're saying is true or not but I don't think Caitlin has bad handwriting."

"Are you kidding? I have to ask her to read what she writes aloud for me. It's kind of embarrassing for both of us. Hell, Cisco calls it a gift that he can read anything she writes. Even Dr. Wells can't really read it, he admitted to guessing half the stuff Caitlin was writing about."

"Hey, me and Eddie are having a lunch date tomorrow. You and Linda should totally join us."

"I don't know." Barry sighed "Linda's going to be covering the Miners Kings game."

"Ah, one of the Gem Cities' greatest rivalries. I didn't know you were a fan of basketball."

"I'm not, but Linda got me a free pass since she's with the press, and the seats are fantastic! So I think we'll have to pass on a double lunch date."

"Ok, maybe some other time then." Iris' smile just got bigger. She was happy that Barry had found someone to be with. Soon she felt a buzzing in her pocket. Pulling out her phone she saw someone had posted something new about the Flash. "Hey, Bear check it out!" she said nearly shoving her phone into Barry's face in an extremely excited manner. "Someone just posted a Flash sighting on my blog." Those words stung at Barry a bit. It was impossible for anyone to have seen the Flash all day.

"You still run your blog?"

"Yeah, it's actually an excellent way to get stories about the Flash. Pictures, not so much."

"So, are you going to go and interview him?" Barry asked cautiously "Ask him how his day was? Or what crimes has he recently thwarted?"

"Like I said, my boss wants me to write about him and I don't think he wants me writing about some creepy double homicide with dusty skeletons." Iris put her phone back in her bag. "I'm still a cub so my first couple of stories need to be really good."

"So, where does it say the Flash was spotted?"

"Uh…" Iris looked at the post "looks like he's down by the old bowling alley." Barry gave her a confused expression since there were about ten bowling alleys in Central City. "You know the one my dad took us to when we were kids, Lucky Lanes? Why so curious?"

"No reason." Barry replied "Just wondering if that's included…hey what time is it?" he asked out of the blue.

"Uh, 4:37"

"Crap I left the report for the double homicide on my desk. I've gotta send some of the evidence to Cisco and Caitlin seeing if they can identify the bodies. If I don't get it finished and give it to Singh in the next 43 minutes he's gonna get pissed at me. So, I'll see you later." Barry said to Iris taking off towards the police station leaving a confused Iris. "I'll let you know about going on some kind of double date later!"

"OK Barry…See you later…" She waved slightly confused

* * *

In mere seconds Barry was at S.T.A.R. Labs and suited up. He had called Cisco and Caitlin ahead of time so they would be ready shortly after he got there.

"Barry, are you sure you want to investigate this?" Caitlin asked "A picture like that could have been taken yesterday or even earlier than that."

"It wasn't. I know it." Barry replied "I haven't been to that part of town since that Bowling Alley closed. It's that meta-human from last night, he's calling me out."

"Barry, take a step back and analyze the situation. We know nothing about what this man can do and last time you confronted him he beat you up pretty good." Well interjected.

"And how do you know it's even Electrojumper?" Cisco's expression changed to excited while everyone just shook their heads. "No one thinks we should call him Electrojumper?"

"I'm sure you'll come up with a great one next time." Caitlin said reassuring her friend

Barry smiled as he rushed out of the Lab.

* * *

"_Alright Barry remember you're here to investigate. We still have no idea what his abilities entail so do not engage this man, he is dangerous_." Well's voice said in Barry's ear as he arrived outside the bowling alley.

"No problem Dr. Wells." Barry said "I'll make this quick, in and out."

The Flash entered the abandoned bowling alley and almost immediately regretted it. Spread out all over the place were more dusty bones from skeletons, there was no way of telling how many complete skeletons there were.

"This guy's a psycho." Barry said to himself

An instant later the overhead lights began to flicker on until they illuminated the man in black. He was sitting on a bar stool in the middle of a bowling lane and had his back turned to Barry. His head was hunched over as if he was sleeping but that was quickly remedied.

"_**SoyougotmymessageFlash.**_" The man in black said raising his head, though Barry couldn't see it, the man in black was grinning madly.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Barry demanded

"_Barry! Remember you've got to get out of the-"_ Suddenly Barry's communications cut off completely

"You murdered those innocent people!" Barry accused, unaware that he lost communications with S.T.A.R. labs

"_**I'vekilledalottoday**_." The man in black replied suddenly standing up, moving quickly between several spots like he just cannot stay still. "_**Bemorespecific**__."_

"You killed two people earlier today, turned them into dusty skeletons!" Barry accused "That you?"

"_**Yesthatwasme**__."_

"WHY?" Barry demanded

"_**TheyhadsomethingIwanted**_."

"What is it you want?" The flash was getting angry. The man in black's grin seemed to widen with excitement.

"_**You'rerilledup?**__**Goodit'llmakethismorefun.****Butifyouwanttoknowwhati'mafter**_" **KRRRRKL** red electricity arced all over his body and it began to vibrate, making it appear like there was five of him. "_**Beatitoutofus,hero**_."

**WOOOOSH** all five men in black rushed Barry and proceeded to attack him from every which way with blows clad in spikes and electrical shocks.

Barry tried to fight back but every time he threw a punch his target just moved out of the way, like he knew what Barry was going to do before he even did it.

Barry threw a kick with his left leg but one of men in black caught his leg under his left arm and slammed his mechanical right elbow and right knee together with Barry's leg sandwiched between the two.

"AAAAGH!" Barry yelled in pain as he flet the bones in his leg crack and maybe in some cases splinter completely.

* * *

"He's hurt." Cisco said looking at the monitors.

"Barry, get out of there!" Caitlin pleaded hoping that he could hear them.

"Something's blocking our transmissions to him." Wells said "Or rather it's this Meta-human that's blocking them.

* * *

"Who the hell are you?" Barry demanded

"_**Ifyoumustknow…**__**Comparedtoouryellowcladfriend…**__**I'msomethingofaParadox**__**.**_" The main man said.

* * *

"Paradox? That's actually a cool nickname." Cisco said aloud receiving looks from Caitlin and Wells.

* * *

**WOOOSH **Each one of the men in black grabbed one of Barry's limbs, forcing him to his knees and holding him still, while the last one reared back his mechanical right hand. "_**YoumaybetheFlash,butyou'regoingtohelpmeacomplishmygoals**__." _The tips of the fingers jutted out like syringes, before he stabbed it into Barry's chest.

"Aaaaaah!" Barry yelled in pain as he felt the man in black's crimson electricity arc all over his body like it was alive, pulling the yellow energy into the red emblem on his chest. Whatever that arm was supposed to do it felt like it was draining the life out of him.

* * *

Back at S.T.A.R. Labs Barry's team watched as the instruments that read Barry's vitals and energy output spike and drop exponentially.

Well's grabbed the communication device in great concern. "RUN BARRY! RUN!"

* * *

"_**Somuchenergy!WiththisIcanfinallydoit**__!" _The man in black pulled his metallic arm out of Barry's chest. **KRAKLE **Red lightning crackled around his body as it began to vibrate at hyper speeds. "_**Hehehehehe**_!" He chuckled menacingly before the lightning began to die and the vibrations began to stop. "_**D**_am_**n**_" He said as his voice began to flux between a normal tone and speed and his usual vibrated and fast tongue. "_**It's**_noteno_**ugh**_." He turned back to Barry who was lying on the ground clutching his chest. "_**Ine**_edm_**ore**_."

**WOOOOSH** The World seemed to be at a standstill as he charged Barry once more only this time Barry saw him coming and using almost every ounce of strength and energy he had left Barry escaped.

"_**Heh**_,gue_**ssh**_e re_**all**_yis_**the **_fas_**tes**_tma_**nal**_ive." The man in black chuckled before looking over his mechanical right hand, as he did his voice leveled out to one that could be perceived as normal "Oh well, it's a start."

* * *

"He got out of there." Cisco said reading the homing beacon on Barry's suit. "Barely."

"Barry?" Caitlin asked still concerned for how weak his vitals were. "If you can hear us please respond."

**WOOOSH **In a blur of red Barry was back in the main lab, he looked a lot worse than last night when he first fought this man in black. "Sorry guys" He replied with ragged breathing, as he walked out of the suit storage in his regular clothes, gripping the chair nearest to him to support his broken leg. "It didn't go quite as planned."

Immediately Caitlin and Cisco helped him over to the medical bed so the bio engineer could get to work on patching up the fastest man alive while Cisco began to clean and patch up the suit.

"Dude, you messed up my suit pretty good this time." Cisco complained as he wiped dried blood off of it. "You got it torn, scorched and covered in blood."

"Hey, some of that blood may be his." Barry shot back as Caitlin but his leg in a brace so it could heal straight. "And didn't we agree last Tuesday that it was our suit?"

"We did no such thing." Cisco replied "Next time you go out there, be more careful with my suits, I only have two left!"

"Two others aside from this one?"

"Hey, after Bette accidentally blew the first one up and you ruined the second one when you went all ghost busters on Captain Cold and Heatwave I had to make some new ones." Barry just smiled innocently.

"Lift your shirt Barry." Caitlin ordered. Barry complied and waited as she wrapped his chest. "Your tibia was broken again, several cracked ribs and multiple bruises and lacerations…If this is going to be anything like the last time, you're going to be here for some time while you heal."

While his friends tried to help him feel better Wells rolled up to Barry with a displeased expression. "What were you thinking Barry?" Wells demanded angrily. "I told you not to engage him! We were going to study his abilities and figure out a way to defeat him together!" Before Barry could reply Wells continued. "I don't want to hear it Barry! He could have killed you!"

"Then what do you want to hear?" Barry demanded, cutting Wells off. "'Sorry I got so worked up and fought the man in black'? 'I'm sorry that I wasn't thinking?' Is that what to hear?" the fastest man alive was very frustrated and quite upset. "I just got my ass handed to me twice in one day by a psychopath who has abilities almost identical to mine and the Revere-Flash!" His side ached and he winced in pain.

"Jeeze…" Cisco sighed from over by the suit. Apparently his conversation with Joe last Christmas about there being more than one Reverse-Flash was coming true. "That's not good."

"You know what else Dr. Wells? Because I can't beat him he's gonna keep killing people! And I have no clue why he's doing it or how to even stop him from killing again! I'm not a little kid that needs to be told what he can and cannot do Dr. Wells. Even if I have no way to stop him I'm going to keep trying until I do!" Barry stopped ranting and took a deep breath before continuing. "If you don't want me to kill myself in my next fight, you better find a way to neutralize his powers and fast. There's no telling when he'll strike next."

* * *

Here ends the chapter

Please tell me what you liked, didn't like, look forward to/think will happen, or your general thoughts and comments, this'll help me make this story better, no more of these one to two word reviews. I want legit reviews. I'm a big boy so I can take criticism.

Thank You, and if you sneezed while reading this Bless you.

Have a Fantastic day


	2. Ice to Meet You

**Disclaimer: **The following is a nonprofit Fan based story; The FLASH and all related characters are owned by DC comics, the CW and anyone I may have missed

A/N: OK here's Chapter 2. I'm not even going to start chapter 3 until I've seen episode 14, I don't want this straying too far from the main Flash Story. Also keep your eyes peeled for comic easter eggs and lore, I'm gonna be using a crap ton of it.

* * *

_The Flash: Moving Forward _

Chapter 2: Ice to Meet You

* * *

"_Just this morning Witnesses and Police have discovered three more bodies all around Central City."_ The reporter spoke through the TV as Barry walked into Joe's house. _"It is unknown where these bodies came from or how old they are. Some experts have told us that these bodies are all at least twenty years old if not older."_

"Hey Joe."

"Barry!" the detective stood up and embraced his foster son. "Thank God you're Okay. Did you get him?" Barry shook his head.

"He's faster than me, just like my mom's killer. I have no idea how to stop him."

"Son, take it easy. You're getting frustrated, and when you're frustrated you run in blind."

"Yeah…"

"Come on, let's get you nice an comfy." Joe said as he guided Barry to the couch, forcing him to sit down before heading into the kitchen. "Now, you just sit there and relax while I get us a couple of Beers."

"How many times do I have to tell you they have no effect on me?" Barry said grinning

"Shut up." Joe said coming back from "it's the thought that counts." He sat down next to Barry and kicked his feet up onto the table, passing the fastest man alive a beer the two toasted before they began to drink.

* * *

The next day at S.T.A.R. Labs, Team Flash was going about their usual routines. Barry trained to get faster, Cisco tinkered with the suit and delved into making some new gizmos, Caitlin was busy studying any changes that may have occurred within Barry when he was attacked by the man in the black suit, and Dr. Wells, when he wasn't doing his own thing, he monitored Barry while he trained.

Ever since his last encounter with the man in the black suit, or as Cisco liked to call him, Paradox, Barry has been extremely focused on getting even faster. Meeting the man in black had been truly frustrating; there was just something about Paradox that made him feel more threatening than the Reverse-Flash ever could, while the Reverse Flash would threaten and taunt Barry, Paradox would just do things.

"Ok Barry, you're approaching your current max speed." Wells said into a mike and his voice transferred into the speakers around Barry. "What's say we challenge that?"

Barry didn't respond. Instead lightning flashed in his eyes as he pushed himself even faster.** BOOOM** a sonic boom tore out from Barry, shattering the glass in the treadmill room. Wells smiled when the machines registered Barry's new speed; 928mph. Immediately following the sonic boom Barry tripped up and was thrown into the stack of padding behind him.

Cisco was in the monitoring room in a heartbeat followed closely by Caitlin. "Did Barry just cause a sonic boom?"

"Yes he did Cisco." Dr. Wells replied "Caitlin could you make sure our resident speedster is all patched up?"

"What did you say Dr. Wells? I can barely hear anything, my ears are still ringing…" Caitlin said as she massaged her ears. Apparently breaking the sound barrier in a building isn't the best idea, but after a moment or two her hearing came back.

"Could you make sure Barry's OK?" He asked "And run a few diagnostics on him while you're at it, it took him a while to get up to speed."

Barry sat up admits the cushioning "So how fast was that?" He asked with a mix of cockiness and seriousness.

"928mph Mr. Allen." Dr. Wells said rolling over to his coworkers "A new personal best."

"At this rate we'll get to use those drones with lasers." Barry commented to Cisco who started geeking out.

"No lasers!" Caitlin commanded as she helped Barry up.

"Oh, come on Caitlin…" Cisco whined "You take the fun out of everything…"

"I don't know, maybe we should try them." Wells added with a friendly smile.

"Yes!" Cisco pumped his arms into the air in excitement.

"No!" Caitlin disagreed, she did not want to have Barry just get out of a life and death fight just to run headlong into

"Looks like its three in favor for laser drones and on against." the scarlet speedster said "Motion passes, sorry Caitlin."

Dr. Snow rolled her eyes in defeat. "You better hope you don't get seriously hurt form those Lasers."

Barry smiled at the antics of his team before feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out to see Linda calling him. "Oh, crap." He said to himself as he answered it "Hey, Linda…How's it going?"

_"It's going fine Barry."_ Linda's voice replied on the other end. _"Except that I'm at your place where I'm supposed to pick you up for the Miners Kings game yet imagine my surprise at not finding my boyfriend here."_

"Right, the game…" Barry sighed "Um, listen I'm running a little late over at the precinct right now so do you think you could head to the game now and I'll meet you there?"

"_Alright,"_ She replied "_I'll meet you there. I'll be by the precinct to drop off your ticket shortly."_

"OK, see you soon." Barry said as he hung up. "That was Linda…I kind of almost forgot that she invited me to the Miners v. Kings Basketball game today."

"Dude that is sweet!" Cisco practically cheered. "I wish I could go."

"Maybe next time Cisco." Barry said before rushing out of the lab to get to his forensics lab before his girlfriend gets there.

* * *

In a heartbeat Barry is just outside the precinct and is about to enter when he hears his name.

"Barry!" He turns around and heading his way is Linda.

"There you are, I thought for a moment you weren't going to show." He said as she gave him a hug and a peck on the lips.

"Really?" She cocked an eyebrow with a questioning look. "You thought I wasn't going to show up? Let me remind you who has missed or nearly missed five out of seven dates."

"I know, I know…" Barry said raising his arms in defeat "Me…"

"Exactly. Now how about instead of going back to your boring forensics job, we go to the one of the biggest games central city has ever seen."

"I, uh…I um…" Barry stuttered while Linda looked at him like he had grown an extra head "Sure." He finally caved. "Just let me go put some stuff away. We've been working on this case and it's just…well it's just…difficult to explain to say the least."

"Uh huh." Linda replied.

Several minutes later Barry and Linda were off to the home of the Central City Miners to witness their demolition of the Keystone City Kings.

* * *

While Barry was on a date with Linda Park, Iris West was on a lunch date with her boyfriend detective Eddie Thawne.

"Hey Babe" Iris said as she hugged the blond cop and kissed him on the lips.

"Hey Iris" the detective replied. He helped her take her coat off and pulled out a chair for her like the gentleman he was. "So how was your day?" He asked sitting across from her.

"Honestly, it could be going better."

"How so?"

"I mentioned this to Barry yesterday, but my Editor just wants me to write about the Flash. I got a really good article yesterday like flawless good and when I brought it to my editor he read it over and said it was good."

"I don't see how that's bad."

"Then he tossed it in a garbage can and told me it wasn't what he wanted." Iris began to pick at the bread that had been placed in front of the couple "And then he has the gall to say to me that he only brought me on because of my connection to the Flash."

"Uh…Maybe we shouldn't talk about our jobs…" but Iris continued

"He told me I have to get him a great flash story by the end of the week." Iris's expression changed to worry. "Eddie, if I can't do that, I think I'll lose my job."

Eddie took her hand "Hey, hey it's going to be fine Iris." He promised "You're a smart, beautiful resourceful woman. If anyone can pull this off it's you."

"Thanks babe."

"And if he doesn't like what you come up with I can always punch him in the face." This got Iris to laugh.

* * *

Meanwhile a shady figure walked into one of Central Cities biggest banks. He wore blue jeans, black boots, a navy blue muscle shirt, a white sleeveless hoodie, which was up and covering the majority of his face. Patiently he waited in line before it was his turn to talk with a teller.

"Listen very carefully." He said to the teller with a voice so cold even hell could freeze just from listening to it. "You're going to go in the vault and fill this bag with all the valuable jewels and cash you have."

"Is this some kind of joke, cause if it is it isn't funny."

He looked up at her, revealing his icy pale blue eyes. "Do I sound like I'm joking?" he asked as his skin turned a blend of icy white and blue. **KRICK KRICK** The floor at his feet began to freeze, as did the section of the counter that he was touching. The teller began to panic "Do as I say or you'll soon find out what it's like to be an ice sculpture.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Miners v Kings Game. The entire populace of Central City seemingly went ballistic when their star point guard earned his team another three points. Even Barry had stood up to cheer.

"Enjoying yourself?" Linda asked him

"Uh, yeah!" Barry replied back. Suddenly he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket "Oh come on… not now." He pulled it out to see Cisco was calling him.

"What is it?" Linda asked

"This'll only take a minute, promise." He said to her before answering "Hey, what's up?"

_"Bank robbery in progress at Central City's First Bank!"_ Cisco said cutting to the chase.

"I'm kind of on a date." The fastest man alive whined.

_"I understand that dude, but we all need to make sacrifices. Either way, may I remind you that you're going to be there sooner or later? Remember, day job and all?" _

Barry sighed in defeat. "Ok, fine I'll be there as fast as I can." He said hanging up before turning to Linda. "That was Joe" he lied quickly "There was a bank robbery they need me down there."

"Oh," Linda sounded disappointed "Ok, well I'll let you know how the game ends." She said.

"Yeah, I'm really, really, sorry about this. I'll make it up to you I promise!" Barry said struggling to put his jacket on as he left the aisle.

* * *

Barry raced through the streets of Central City to the bank that was being robbed, and when he got there he moved so fast that the world stood at a near standstill while he cased the crime scene before him.

It wasn't a pretty crime scene, there were at least three security guards frozen completely solid while another one was missing a leg and a fifth one was missing his left arm at the elbow. The floor just before the main counter was an ice rink with streaks of ice reaching out to those security guards while the teller immediately behind the frozen counter had been completely frozen. The large steel vault door had been completely shattered and somewhere close to ten million dollars in valuables was missing. Also large icicles pierced through the security cameras and their central hard drive.

Barry felt awful. He wasn't fast enough to save these people. While still moving superfast Barry looked for any clue as to who did this. At first he thought it was Snart back in town but this didn't fit his MO at all. Snart didn't attack innocent people for no reason, besides this was on a whole 'nother scale than what Captain Cold's Gun could dish out.

"Guys!" Barry said into his headset, moving slow enough that they could hear him but fast enough so no one could see him.

"_What is it Barry_?" Cisco's voice said in his ear.

"Tell the nearest hospital that they've got half a dozen people coming in with near or severe frostbite!" Barry yelled

"_Ok, nearest hospital is St. Andrews_!" Cisco replied

"I'll be there in a few seconds!"

"_What are you gonna do, melt the ice_?" Caitlin asked

"Um…yeah!" Barry replied. "I can try can't I?" Barry immediately went over to one of the frozen victims and began rubbing his hands all over him. Slowly the ice encasing his body began to melt and run off his body. As fast as he could, Barry did the same thing to the other three frozen victims before moving all six injured people to St. Andrew's hospital in the blink of an eye.

* * *

Half an hour later the police arrived on the scene, followed shortly by Barry pretending to be the slowest man alive.

"Barry!" Joe called as he walked over to his foster son. "So? Anything from when the Flash was here?"

"Well I learned that I can thaw out people that have been turned into popsicles." Barry said discretely causing Joe to chuckle

"Anything that could help us catch whoever did this?" Joe asked

Barry shook his head. "I can tell you it wasn't Snart, Joe. This type of crime doesn't match his MO at all. He's methodical, planning everything down to the last second and not once does he intentionally kill anyone. Besides, last I checked he's locked up in Iron Heights Prison and his cold gun is locked safely away at S.T.A.R. Labs. Whoever did this; froze those people with the clear intention of letting them freeze to death or even shatter them."

"Got a call from St. Andrews" Eddie said coming over to Joe and Barry. "They say they've got half a dozen victims with mild to severe frostbite and hypothermia, all of them were from this bank. None of them have any idea how they got there or how they were thawed out. Any idea who or what did this?"

Barry set up his gear and combed the crime scene for evidence. "Well to be able to freeze the human body in an instant without causing any terminal damage would require liquid nitrogen."

"So, Snart's back with his freezing gun thing." Eddie said trying to understand what Barry was saying. "Anything about his partner?"

"No, Snart's gun reaches a temperature of -273.15 degrees Celsius, Absolute Zero. It would have caused instant death. These people were exposed to something much warmer."

"I can't imagine it being that much warmer?" Joe asked

"I'd say it can't be hotter than -195.97 degrees Celsius, that's the temperatue the human body freezes nearly instantly. The only thing I can think of that does that is liquid nitrogen." Barry crouched down and picked up a small piece of frozen flesh. "Though for this to remain frozen for so long without turning back to gas form, I'm going to need some help analyzing it."

"Alright, we'll see what we can dig up. Eddie, why don't you get a sketch artist and interview those hospital victims, maybe they'll be able to describe the attacker since the security records seem to be trashed."

"OK Joe." Eddie replied.

* * *

Later, back at S.T.A.R. labs

"So we've got another meta-human out there who can manipulate cold temperatures." Caitlin said worriedly.

"Just like the Cold Gun." Cisco pointed out. "First, armor clad red lightning bolt and now a freezing freak…Freezer." Cisco said fairly proud of himself for coming up with that name on the fly.

"Eh" Caitlin was uninterested in the naming process.

"I tried running a sketch from eye witnesses but so far it hasn't matched with anyone in police data banks." Barry said

"I'll run it through our facial recognition software. Maybe something will come up." Cisco said hopefully."

"If this really is a meta-human who can manipulate the cold just like Snart's gun, then I cannot emphasis how important it is for you to be extremely cautious of him Barry." Wells said resting his chin on his knuckles.

Suddenly Cisco's computer lit up like a tree. "Got him!" the engineer practically leapt out of his chair with excitement.

"Who is he?"

"His name is Cameron Mahkent." Cisco said "Apparently he dropped out of High School and has been dabbling in petty crime ever since. A few major robberies here and there, but he was caught at every single one."

"Then why is he out and about?" Barry asked

"Apparently any evidence connected to him disappeared, and anyone involved in the cases dropped all charges and retired wealthy or ended up dead."

"So, he gets powers from the Particle Accelerator and he decides to rob the largest bank in Central City?" Caitlin asked "Great, why can't we ever find a friendly meta-human?"

"We are batting one out of one out of eleven on good meta-humans." Barry replied

"Two out of eleven." Caitlin fired off receiving a confused look from Barry and Cisco "Ronnie isn't bad, he's alone and confused, and has another man inside his head."

"I'm sure we're bound to come across at least one other good meta-human sooner or later." Barry answered "but, yeah, not that I think about it two out of eleven hasn't been great odds for us.

"Traffic cameras just picked him up entering a bar over in Keystone called the Keystone Saloon."

"Let Joe know where he is." Barry said

"Where do you think you're going?" Caitlin demanded

"I'm going to stop him before he hurts anyone else." Barry said to his personal physician.

"Last time you fought someone like this a train was thrown from its tracks and he was a normal human with a cold gun. This is a meta-human. We don't even know enough about his powers or how they work and there's no telling-" **WOOOSH **In a scarlet swoosh Barry was on his way to the Keystone Saloon leaving Caitlin flustered that he didn't quite listen to her.

* * *

Moments later he arrived at the Keystone Saloon and everything seemed fine and dandy. Well, everything was fine and dandy before a man was thrown out the front window of the Bar. Crash landing right at Barry's feet. Almost immediately Barry recognized him as the man from the sketches.

"Damn~you~bastards…" Cameron slurred his words in a drunken stupor, before taking another swing from the bottle in his right hand. "I'll~freeze-all-yer-arses…!"

"Guys, I found him." Barry said into his headset. "And he's pretty wasted."

"Hey…" He turned around to face the Flash "I'm~not~a~wastebin…" He took another chug of alchohol. "But~thank~you~for~calling~me~pretty…I'll~cherish~yer~compliment…Though~I~don't~roll~'at~way…"It was then that Mahkent finally seemed to notice Barry as he squinted and leaned forward to get a better look at him, before his eyes widened in realization "You…You're…you're…"

"The Flash? Yeah I know right." Barry's face turned into a slightly cocky grin. "Look, could you just make this easier for everyone and just surrender quietly?"

"Let~me~think~abou'~it…" the drunk meta-human said while bringing his bottle up, chugging the last bit. "Aaaaaaahh…" He let out satisfied belch " 'Ats~some~good~booze…" **KRASH ** With speed and precision that shouldn't be capable from a drunken man he smashed the bottle across The Flash's head, knocking him to the ground before he ran away.

Barry pushed himself back up from the surprise attack and in a red blur was in front of the runaway drunk. He appeared so suddenly that the drunk fell flat on his ass in shock.

"Damn~you're~quick…" Mahkent said drunkenly, as he tried to stagger to his feet. Failing to do so he reached out his left hand "Mind~helpin'~me~up…?" Barry made a move to take his hand, but the man immediately placed his hand on the ground. **KRIK **Almost instantaneously the area around where he touched the ground froze; the ice even speedily crept up Barry's left leg effectively freezing him in place.

"Agh!" Barry went down on his right knee clutching his left leg as he did.

"Nice thing 'bout ice running though my veins, the buzz wears off faster than normal." The formerly drunk freezer taunted as he easily stood back up, towering over Barry. "Oh, come on Flash, ain't ya got nothing witty to say?" **KRIK** Ice surrounded his arms, making a pair of icicle gauntlets. He slammed his fists together and cracked his neck in anticipation for a fight.

**VRRRRRRR** Barry quickly began to rub the ice on his leg. In no time at all the ice on his leg had melted. **BZZZT** in a flurry of yellow electricity The Flash was standing behind the icy meta-human.

"Looks like you've got some tricks up yer sleeves." Cameron said turning around "but I've got some t-" **WHAM** He was cut off by Barry punching him across the jaw, cold cocking him.

"Alright guys, he's out." Barry said grinning. "I'm bringing him back to S.T.A.R. Labs now. Prep the pipe for a chilly guest." **FWOOSH **"AAAAGH!" Barry yelled out in pain as extreme cold enveloped his back. The wave of cold forced him to his knees. He looked over his shoulder and there stood a large muscular man, holding the young drunk over his shoulder.

This man stood easily at 6'2" with a very stalky build like he was a professional body builder or something. He wore a white muscle shirt and navy blue pants with black shoes. His head was completely bald and he wore a pair of white sunglasses on his face.

"_Barry? Barry! Are you Ok?" _Caitlin's voice sounded off in his ear.

"Get your hands off my son you red leather clad ass." The man said as he aimed a small white gun at Barry's head. **FWOOOOSH** He pulled the trigger and it unleashed a torrent of white flames as cold as hell.

Barry barely moved out of the way as he watched the mini cold gun freeze the ground solid before the muscle man proceeded to use it to create a thick Ice wall between himself and the Flash.

* * *

Later, once Barry had returned to STAR labs Barry sat shirtless on the med bed as Caitlin patched up the frozen skin on his back. Cisco on the other hand wheeled over a monitor.

"Once again Mr. Allen you're lucky you have fast healing." Dr. Snow said to her patient "You're also lucky that the cold blast you were hit with wasn't as powerful as the one Cisco designed."

"That doesn't make this any less painful."

"Well the good news is, compared to yesterday, you're healing."

"And the bad news?" Barry skeptically asked

"Why do you assume that there's bad news?" the doctor asked "try looking on the bright side Barry, you're back to normal, or at least you will be in an hour or two." Barry gave her a confused look, she sighed in defeat and gave him the quasi-bad news "Your accelerated healing isn't completely back to normal yet. In fact I just saw a scan of your cells and you need to see this." She held up her tablet showing Barry an image of hundreds of cells rapidly moving around the screen. Some of them were moving faster than others others were moving at a normal human speed and a few weren't moving at all.

"So, my cells are all out of whack?" Barry asked

"That was yesterday." Caitlin replied "Here's today." She swiped the screen and showed him a new image. This time the vast majority of his cells were all moving at their normal lightning speed while others were still slow. "It actually gets fairly interesting if you look closely at the cells moving supper fast." Barry starred at the cells in awe.

"They're generating sparks?"

"Some of your cells are moving so fast that they're literally acting like fuel cells, storing up the energy you generate naturally. When you use your super speed they don't even slow down, if anything they're even faster, like a supercharge. They build up even more speed and in some cases they discharge it."

"So that's where all the electricity I generate comes from."

"In theory anyway." Caitlin added. "Whatever the man in black did to you, it affected your very cells. Like he put a block on your powers or he's-"

"Joar Mahkent."

"Who?" Barry asked as Caitlin was cut off by Cisco entering the room.

"The big guy that attacked you from behind, turns out he's Icicle's dad." He said. Swiping across his tablet a mug shot of the large man from earlier appeared on the screen.

"Icicle?"

"That's the nick name I came up with for him. Though I assume we should call him Icicle Jr. and call his cold man Icicle Sr." Cisco wore a sense of pride across his face.

"Really? Cold man?" Caitlin said "I think Barry's heard enough ice puns to last a life time."

"Calm down Caitlin, Cisco does this all in good fun." Wells said rolling into the room. Barry was half expecting wells to scold him but he didn't.

"Any way, Icicle Sr. is a physisit from Europe and a career criminal, a lot like Captain Cold. Though, he and Icicle Jr. seem to be from Coast City. And they're pretty good at it, well at least Icicle Sr. is. He's gotten away every time while his son apparently wasn't so lucky, though his dad seems to pay good money for lawyers to get all charges dropped."

"Mahkent isn't a meta-human like his son. He uses a cold gun like Snart." Barry said

"That makes taking out Icicle Sr. easy." Cisco said "You just need to disarm him."

"Easier said than done, he's freakin' huge. And how do you expect me to do that when his son is there."

"You said you knocked him out with a single punch?" Wells asked. Barry nodded "If that's the case then I have reason to speculate that there may be quite a bit of frozen tissue under his skin"

"Making him very vulnerable and fragile." Barry finished

"My thoughts exactly. I honestly believe you can take both of them down easily." Wells finished before letting out an audiable sigh "Caitlin, Cisco" The two turned to Dr. Wells. "Could you two give us a few moments?"

With nods Cisco and Caitlin left the room, leaving Barry alone with the wheel chair bound man.

"Aren't you going to call me out on being reckless?" Barry asked to which Wells chuckled

"No Barry, I'm not. I see no point in scolding you like a child. As you said yesterday you're an Adult and I should treat you as one, not as a fragile child that can break at a moment's notice. None of us could have foreseen that Mahkent was working with his father."

"It's just…" Barry sighed in frustration as he put his shirt back on after being given the all clear by his personal doctor. "Ever since the Man in Black showed up…"

"Paradox!" Cisco interjected from across the lab like he had super hearing.

"I've been feeling sluggish and… rather frustrated." Barry admitted "It's like every time I feel like I'm at my absolute best…"

"Someone comes around and shows they're better than you." Wells finished

"Yeah" Barry admitted "How'd you know that."

"As difficult as it is to believe I have had my share of lows Mr. Allen. In fact an old colleague of mine, He was brilliant at what he did in the fields of renewable energy. I wanted him to join me on the Particle Accelerator but…" He trailed off

"What happened to him?"

"Let's just say he values money above actually helping people or scientific progress." Wells said "but honestly without him or Hartley I never would have been able to design let alone complete the Particle Accelerator, with a bang." Now it was Barry's turn to lightly chuckle. "The point is Barry, No matter what life throws our way it's all about how react to the things we least expect. And it is honestly moments like these where the true measure of one's character come out and we push ourselves to become better than ever." Those words made Barry smile as his confidence grew a little more.

* * *

Meanwhile somewhere in Central City

"Dad!" Joar turned to see his son clutching his arm. Ice viciously crawled up it with no restraint. "It's getting worse dad!" Cameron was in a panic. Ever since he got these powers they've been constantly growing out of his control.

"Quit your winning."

"I can't control it!"

"If you can't control it then you aint my son. What do you want me to do every time you fall on yer arse? Kiss it to make it feel better? You're old enough to wipe your own goddamn arse."

**KRIK** More ice crept up his arm. "DAD, PLEASE!" Cameron pleaded while tears fell down his face, unfortunately for him they proceeded to freeze nearly instantly. "EVERY TIME I USE THESE POWERS I LOOSE MORE AND MORE CONTROL! HOW LONG UNTIL I'M A FROZEN STATUE MYSELF!?"

Joar silently turned around, facing away from his son. "Fine, I'll help you one more time. Remember what I told you. Your abilities are also tied to your emotions. The more you use them the more unstable you become and the more unstable you become the less control you can exert over them."

"Thanks Dad." Cameron said regaining some of his composure. As he did the ice on his arms retreated until they were as normal as can be. "So, where are we going?"

"Now, because of you we need to get another ten g's. Getting you slightly fixed is going to take some major cash. That guy aint cheap."

"Who's that?"

"Dr. Elias." Icicle Sr. replied

* * *

Here ends the chapter

Please tell me what you liked, didn't like, look forward to/think will happen, or your general thoughts and comments, this'll help me make this story better, no more of these one to two word reviews. I want legit reviews. I'm a big boy so I can take criticism.

Thank You, and if you sneezed while reading this Bless you.

Have a Fantastic day


	3. Dr Darwin Elias

**Disclaimer: **The following is a nonprofit Fan based story; The FLASH and all related characters are owned by DC comics, the CW and anyone I may have missed

* * *

_The Flash: Moving Forward_

Chapter 3: Dr. Darwin Elias

* * *

In Elias Industries a lone scientist strode through the hallowed halls of the institute.

He wore a white shirt, yellow tie, with brown lacks, brown shoes, and a white lab coat. His hair was decorated with a mop of shaggy brown-gray hair.

He walked through the dark halls looking at all the project he'd started and yet never finished. Dr. Elias saw himself as something like Humanity's Savior.

"ELIAS!" He turned around at the sound of his name. Walking towards him was Joar Mahkent and his son, Cameron.

"Joar? Is that you?" the scientist asked as the large man approached him. When he who it was that was approaching him his expression changed to cold and hard. "Get the hell out of here." He ordered

"Can't do that doc." Joar repied "I've come to ask a favor of you."

Elias touched a wall panel and pulled a pistol out of a hidden compartment. He aimed the gun at the super criminal's head "After you screwed me over in Denmark I promised you that if we ever met again I'd blow your brains out." In an instant Joar pulled out his freeze gun and froze Dr. Elias's gun hand. "AGH!" He clutched the chunk of ice that was his hand and fell to his knees. Joar crouched down to Elias' level and pressed the cold gun into the scientist' forehead.

"Now here's the deal doc. I promised my boy that you'd help him with his powers. Now you're going to do just that, I don't care how you do it just so long as he stops complaining about it. If you do it I'll pay you real good money, plus I'll thaw out your hand."

"Fine…" He complied "I have just the thing."

The three of them walked into Elias's private lab until they all stood before a large tube.

"This is my prototype for a genome de-coder. It's designed so we can read your son's genetic code and determine exactly what part of it is the source of his powers. From there we can regulate it."

"Fine" Icicle Jr. said "just make it so it's easier to control these damn powers." The doors to the tube opened with a loud hiss.

"Get it." Joar shoved his son into the tube and it closed around him before filling up with a clear liquid. Cameron began to freak out as the liquid rose around him. The moment it touched his skin he felt his body go numb, an unusual feat considering his body temperature is on average a negative number.

"They 'ell are you doing Elias?" Joar demanded as he slammed his gun into the back of Elias' head, knocking him to the ground.

"He needs to be unconscious for this." The scientist replied as he looked up at his assailant. "That liquid will help identify his genomes, specifically the mutated genes. From there we can"

"You're making it worse! DAD MAKE IT STOP!" Icicle Jr. yelled from inside the machine as the liquid began to freeze around him as he slowly became encased in an icy cocoon.

"It'll get worse before it gets better. I'll stop it if you're that concerned for your son." Joar struck Elias back to the ground.

"I don't care about that. If he can't handle this then he's hardly worth my time. I don't need a runt who can't control his abilities; I need someone capable of doing his job and not screwing up by getting caught by the police or some spandex clad freak in a mask."

"Well then you won't be disappointed." The scientist said from the ground. "By not his DNA should have been unraveled and he should have better control over his powers."

Icicle sr. walked up to the machine. Wiping away the fog on the glass he got a look at what was inside and he smiled at the results. Joar turned around and pointed his cold gun at the downed scientist. "It's a pleasure doing business with you doc. But I'm gonna have to change our deal." Icicle Sr. was so engrossed in his monologue he didn't even notice a figure in a black suit appear right behind him. "You see any sum of money you want is far too high. SO I'm just going to Ice you here and-" **SNAP** In an instant Paradox snapped Icicle Sr.'s neck and watched as his body fell haplessly to the ground.

"_**Dr. Elias, It's an honor to finally meet you**_."Paradox said in a mocking bow to the cowering scientist. "_**We have a lot to discuss**_."

"W-who are you?"

"_**I go by a few different names, but you can call me Paradox**_."

* * *

The following morning found the Central City Police Department in Elias Industries main lab investigating the events from the previous night. All they had was a broken machine, large amounts of ice everywhere including a trail to nowhere, an injured scientist and a dead body.

Barry Allen was currently investigating the shattered glass of the large tube, hoping to fide some shred of evidence to help the case.

"Anything Barry?" Eddie asked as he walked over to the forensic scientist.

Barry looked up from the shattered tube. "This machine was in use last night,"

"What can shatter something made of steel and glass?"

"Extreme cold did that to my Genome De-coder." Eddie and Barry turned around to find themselves face to face with the owner of the company, Dr. Darwin Elias. Compared to last night he now had small cuts and bruises all over his face, bandages all around his chest, shoulder and his entire right arm. "And for the record it was composed of titanium and tempered glass."

"Oh, wow…" Barry was speechless here he was kind of nonchalantly talking to an idol of sorts. "Dr. Elias, I'm…I'm really excited to meet you…though I kind of wish it were under better circumstances." He extended his right hand before immediately retracting it and extending his left hand which was met with a hand shake. "Oh, right. I'm Barry. Allen! I'm Barry Allen."

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Allen. It is quite rare for me to meet an aspiring man of science." Dr. Elias said smiling. "I suppose you two would like a description as to what was happening here?"

"That would be great." Eddie said

"I was preforming some late night experiments with my Genome De-coder. As you know DNA is a remarkable thing. Every species on this planet is completely different and yet when one compares the DNA one finds very few differences."

"I thought you were into renewable energy." Barry said

"Renewable energy is our main goal here at Elias Industries, but I believe that the key to the future lies within our very own genetic code." Elias explained "Take a look at the world today. There's someone running around our fair city with super speed." He didn't even notice Barry's reaction shifting slightly. "If one were able to harness his abilities we could have potentially an unlimited source of energy that could last forever!"

"You still haven't told us what happened here last night." Eddie interjected

"My apologies detective. When I start talking about my projects I just can't stop myself." Elias apologized "As I said earlier I was doing some genetic research when that man" He gestured to the covered body of Icicle Sr. "Stormed into my lab and demanded that I aid him and his son."

"And did you?"

"Lord no. I refused of course, but he can be quite…persuasive." Dr. Elias said glancing to his injuries. "I regrettably agreed to help him."

"What did he have you do?"

"He wanted me to do some inhumane things to his son." Elias relied "Specifically rewrite his DNA. I'll have you know I am against testing any of my inventions on human subjects willing or otherwise."

"Understood, continue please."

"Well, I had his son get into the Genome De-coder and I began. It was only meant to map out his genetic code to identify the location. The technology to splice and unsplice DNA doesn't exist."

"So, Mahkent Sr. found out you were ripping him off and he attacked you." Eddie clarified piecing together Elias' story.

"Exactly, and when he was about to kill me a red blur burst into my lab and killed him." Elias said "The killer you are looking for is the Flash."

"Are you sure about that?" Barry asked "That sounds nothing like the Flash at all."

"Yeah," Eddie agreed "he's done a lot for this city and after he saved my life twice I like to think that he's a hero, not some murdering psychopath."

"I know what it was I saw." Elias insisted "It was the Flash that killed Mr. Mahkent."

"I would like to see the security tapes." Eddie insisted

"Of course detective."

A few moments later Barry and Eddie were watching the security tapes. Everything transpired exactly as Dr. Elias had described, aside from a few minor details. Sure enough right before Joar shot his gun at Elias a man in a red suit blurred into the screen, moved behind Icicle Sr. and snapped his neck. It was so fast they needed to watch the video frame by frame.

"I told you it was the Flash." Elias exclaimed

Eddie turned around to Elias. "Thank you for your cooperation in this investigation Dr. Elias. Is it alright with you if we take this security tape? It may help us catch Mahkent's son."

"Yes, of course detective."

Barry just kept staring at the frame with the man in the red suit snapping Icicle Sr.'s neck. He knew this was not the Flash for two reasons; One, he wasn't there last night, Two this 'Flash' was surrounded by red lightning.

"Allen, you ready to go?"

"Yeah, it was nice to meet you Dr. Elias." Barry said as he, Eddie and the CCPD left Elias Industries

"It was good to meet you as well Mr. Allen, I do hope we can met again."

"What do you think Allen?" Eddie asked

"About?"

"He answered our questions a little too accurately and quickly. Didn't even miss a step."

"You think he's involved."

"No, I think he's hiding something." Eddie replied "Maybe you should get your friends at S.T.A.R. labs in on this, see if there's a meta-human out there who can affect recordings or something."

* * *

Later at S.T.A.R. Labs

"Dr. Darwin Elias…" Dr. Wells sighed "I never really wanted hear that name again."

"You know him?" Barry asked

"Remember how I told you about a former colleague of mine who was more into the money than the benefit to mankind?"

"That was Elias." Barry answered Wells' question.

"When he left"

"More like when Dr. Wells fired him." Cisco interjected

"He had offered everyone at S.T.A.R. Labs a position at his new company, luckily no one took it." Wells glanced over to Caitlin and Cisco "After the Particle Accelerator Explosion, Elias…he made the offer a second time and now he's a front runner in the renewable energy department."

"He personally offered Cisco and I jobs at Elias Industries." Caitlin added "We were probably the only two that turned down his offer both times."

"To be honest Elias is brilliant but he came off as rather arrogant." Cisco said "Like, he makes Hartley seem like the nicest guy on the planet, and that deserves a Nobel Prize."

"Alright I get it. None of you like Dr. Elias." Barry said "Now can we please look over this tape?" He held up the security CD "There's a few things here you're going to need to see."

"So fake Flash comes in, snaps Icicle Sr's neck, uses his cold gun to shatter Dr. Elias' Genome De-Coder and then leaves?" Cisco asked sucking on a lollipop. "I'm sorry, but something just doesn't add up here."

"You think that was actually the Reverse-Flash?" Caitlin asked as they all stared at the still image of the fake Flash snapping Joar Mahkent's neck.

"Well, the Reverse-Flash was after the tachyon device last Christmas. Perhaps he targeted Dr. Elias for a similar power source; he is into renewable energy and technology for the future." Barry replied. "It kind of fits his profile, but I think if he wanted to be seen he would have."

"Barry, you said the man in black also was surrounded in red lightning?" Wells asked which Barry confirmed with a nod. "Perhaps this isn't the Reverse-Flash but rather it is our mystery Meta-human."

"So, Paradox is still in town." Cisco said. "Not only that, but do we know where Icicle Jr. disappeared to?"

"Haven't the slightest clue." Barry said "but," he fast forwarded the tape then played it at a normal pace. In the video the frozen Genome De-Coder suddenly shattered outward, sending shards of ice glass and titanium everywhere, "It shows him here." Out of the Machine stepped Cameron Mahkent, only this time he was far more mutated than he was before. Now his entire body was composed of ice, with icicles growing off his shoulders, elbows and knees. Each finger was now a super long icicle, giving him the appearance of having claws.

He took a few steps to his father's body, embraced it and then fired some icicles into the camera, cutting of the feed.

"And that's where the tape ends." Barry said "He left a trail of ice, but by now it's melted."

"So whatever Elias did, it made Icicle Jr's meta-human abilities spiral out of control." Wells said. He suddenly slammed a hand against the arm of his wheelchair. "Damn that bastard. He's been splicing DNA."

"He said that DNA splicing doesn't exist." Barry said "And yet there's proof that he's knows how to do it."

"That wasn't a Genome De-Coder, it was a Genome Re-Coder." Wells kept talking like no one had said anything. "You sly fox. You found a way to get to a human's DNA and rewrite it however you wish. Clever bastard." Wells kept rambling to himself about Elias as he turned his chair around and rolled out of the room.

"I'm sure he'll stop ranting about Dr. Elias." Caitlin said looking down the hall after Wells "Eventually."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Cisco said "We've got an abominable snowman to catch."

* * *

One Week later

Team Flash really needed a night out, what with the duel assault from the Icicle Duo a week ago, the death of Icicle Sr. and corresponding disappearance of Icicle Jr. (or just Icicle as Cisco had rebranded) coupled with the confirmed reappearance of Paradox and the whole Firestorm fiasco over the last four days. The team really needed some down time.

What started as a double date for Eddie, Iris, Barry and Linda quickly turned into a group function when Barry invited Caitlin and Cisco. So we find the six friends at a local bar, having drinks, eating food, throwing darts, playing ring toss.

Cisco and Barry had challenged Eddie to a darts contest in which detective pretty boy absolutely schooled the scientist and engineer in the art of Darts.

In the meantime the girls were having a nice time chatting it up about the recent changes in their lives. Dr. Snow had even gone out of her way again to get Barry some of her homemade 500 proof alcohol, slipping it to him without Iris, Eddie or Linda knowing.

"You know what? This was a great idea on Barry's part." Linda said to Caitlin and Iris. "That boy's got some good ideas running through that thick skull of his."

Iris just smiled at Linda's comment

"Well that's Barry for you." Caitlin replied "Typically thinking of others before he thinks about himself."

"Yeah, that's typical Barry." Iris agreed

"Next time, we make it a girl's night out." Linda said before putting an arm around Caitlin's shoulder making the young doctor almost spill her drink "I know Caitlin here just loves Karaoke."

"No, Nope, uh-uh. I told myself that I'll never go back up there." Caitlin pointed out "I can't carry a tune to save my life."

"Once you have a few drinks you'll do it." Linda pointed out

"How do you know that?" Iris asked

"Barry never told you how we met? It was actually at a Karaoke Bar, Barry and Caitlin were there on a 'date'."

"It wasn't a date." Caitlin interjected "We were just two friends going out and having a good time."

"The best thing about it was the fact you got Barry to sing." Linda said to Caitlin. "He's got the voice of an angelic choir."

"Oh, god." Caitlin put her head in her hands in embarrassment.

"Sounds like you guys had a good time." Iris said to the bio-engineer.

"Hardly. I can't even remember most of it."

In a heartbeat Barry was behind her as if he was listening in on their conversation. "Summer Lovin'" Just those two words were enough to embarrass Caitlin even more. He was never going to let her forget that.

Linda started laughing while Iris looked between Barry and Caitlin slightly confused.

"I wish I didn't remember that." Caitlin wished she could just curl up and vanish off the face of the earth.

"You know, when we were roommates you never wanted to get out of the room. Yet here you are, out in a bar with friends, and apparently you're visiting the karaoke scene." A voice said that caught the attention of all of them, but no one more than Barry.

The Fastest Man Alive turned around (slowly of course) and came face to face with an old friend he hadn't seen since his very first semester of college. He looked a little different since he joined the air force but there was no mistaking who it was plus the name on his jacket was a dead giveaway.

JORDAN

A wide smile crept across Barry's face and in moments the old friends were embracing each other.

"Hal."

"Barry, remember we said we weren't going to hug anymore?" Hal cocked an eyebrow and a cheeky grin.

"Oh, right! Sorry! I just got caught up in the moment." Barry sheepishly as he held out his hand. However instead of a hand shake as Barry's friends expected the two twenty five year olds did something unexpected.

They slapped their hands together, forward and backhand, followed by an 'explosion fistbump', a high five followed immediately by a low five, before they jumped up and chest bumped each other before extending the other hand for an exaggerated strong handshake.

"Dude, it's been forever!" Barry said

"It's only been a few years." Hal replied "Hardly forever."

"Hey Iris, who is that?" Linda asked. Cisco, Eddie and Caitlin also turned to her intent on learning who this Hal Jordan is.

"That's Hal Jordan. He's an old friend from Barry's freshman year at Central City University."

"Former roommates and best friends actually." Barry interjected as he and Hal strode over, arms slung over the other's shoulder. "Or at least we were for a semester before he joined the Air Force."

"Naw, we're still best buddies in the whole universe."

"You dropped out of Central City University? What possessed you to do that?" Linda asked

"I dropped out to be a pilot." Hal said "Always wanted to be one like my old man."

"You're a pilot? Sweet! What kind of planes do you fly?" Cisco said excitedly

"F-22 Raptors typically and if im really good the boss lets me test prototypes for planes I cannot even begin to describe to you."

"They're that awesome?" Linda asked

"No, I'd probably be arrested for divulging military secrets. And worst case scenario I'd be fired."

"I would love to check those babies out. I've been thinking of nifty things to add to them since college."

"I say if you want, come out to Coast City. I'll hit you up with a ride." Hal turned to Iris, Caitlin and Linda. "And who are these three lovely goddesses before me?" he asked.

"Hal, this is Caitlin Snow, Dr. Caitlin Snow" He corrected himself introducing Hal to Caitlin.

"Nice to meet you." Caitlin said holding out a hand expecting a handshake.

Hal took her hand and kissed the back of her palm. "Enchanté Madaemoiselle." Caitlin shot a pleading awkward glance at her friends.

"You speak French?" Barry asked Hal

"Just those two words." Hal said.

Caitlin retracted her hand and smiled. "Merci pour ce geste amiable monsieur Jordan." She replied back in near perfect French. "Ce est plaisir de vous renconter ainsi." This was now one of the few times in his life where Hal Jordan was speechless.

"That usually works." He said

"Hi, I'm Linda Park." Linda said also holding out a hand to Hal Jordan. "I'm Barry's girlfriend." It was a good thing she said those words because they stopped Hal from kissing her hand. Instead he took her hand and shook it respectably.

"It is nice to meet you Ms. Park." He turned his head to Barry and mouthed 'Nice catch.'

"Hi Hal, it's nice to see you again." Iris said giving the pilot a hug.

"Ah, the infamous Iris West," He nudged Barry's side and slapped him on the back. "I must say Barry told me a lot about you."

"Did he now?"

"Apparently he was lying, for you are far more beautiful than the dawning of a new sun." Hall took her hand with the intent on kissing it like a gentleman.

"Hey, I'm Iris' boyfriend." Eddie interjected taking Hal's hand and shaking it. "Detective Eddie Thawne."

"Ah, nice to meet you Detective Thawne." Hal replied not quite liking how he was cut off by this pozer.

"So Hal, what brings you to Central City?" Barry asked

"What? Can't a guy visit his best friend once in a while unannounced?" Hal asked. He snapped his fingers and their waitress turned to him "Excuse me beautiful, could I get beer please."

"What kind would you like sir?"

"Whatever you have on tap. Other than that surprise me." Hal replied giving her a wink. "If you can do that I'll surprise you later." The waitress smiled as she turned around and headed to the bar. Moments later she was back with a large glass of beer and a sheet of paper which what looked like her name and phone number. "Works every time." Hal said as he tucked her contact info into his chest pocket.

"Whoa…dude's got game…" Cisco said

"I do get that a lot." Everyone chuckled and laughed at Hal's response. "But, I'll be honest, there's a girl waiting for me back home."

"Then why do you seemingly hit on every woman you meet?" Linda asked raising an eyebrow.

"That's just who I am." Hal defended. "It's not like I'm sleeping with a different woman every night.

"You still live in Coast City?" Iris asked

"Born and Raised."

"Ok Hal, why are you really here. And don't say it's a spur off the moment plan." Barry asked once more.

"Fine Allen, you got me. I' here because I heard you were in a coma after being struck by lightning."

"That was fourteen months ago." Barry said

"I would have come sooner or even contacted you but I was…deployed." He took a sip of his beer.

"Where?" Caitlin asked

"Kuwait." He replied. "Just finished my tour about a week ago."

"When are you heading back?" Barry asked his friend

"A month if I'm lucky. Next week if I'm not." Hal replied "I'm capitalizing on my free time, and I figured I should spend it visiting old friends and such."

"You're getting deployed again?" Cisco asked

"Something like that." The pilot said taking another sip of his beer. "Ok enough questions. Next round it on me! Bar keep! Seven car bombs for me and my friends!"

Before the Bartender brought them the drinks Eddie's phone went off and after a short chat with the person on the other end he stood up to leave. "That's the precinct, I've got to go." Eddie said grabbing his coat and giving Iris a kiss. "I'll see you tonight."

"I think I should be heading home as well." Barry said stretching his arms and yawning "It's getting kind of late."

"Still going to bed early Allen?" Hal asked. "Fine, I'll take you home."

"Oh, not I'm fine Hal. I can car pool with Cisco and Caitlin. You're ok with giving me a ride right?"

"Of course." Caitlin replied.

"Hey Caitlin give me your keys. I'll start up your car." Cisco said. Caitlin nodded and tossed him her keys.

"Linda do you need a ride?" Barry asked his girlfriend.

"I'm good Barry. I only live just down the road."

"If you want I can walk you home." Barry insisted.

"Seriously Barry, I'll be fine." Linda replied "I guess that's my cue to head out, otherwise we'll be her all night. It was nice to see you guys, and it was especially nice to meet you Mr. Jordan."

"Like wise." He replied as Linda shook Hal's hand before giving Barry a kiss.

"I'll see you soon Linda, or call you…you know what I'll call you."

"OK Bear." She replied as she left the bar shortly followed by Cisco. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"So, we're all leaving? Alright then, guess this mean's I'll see you around Barry." Hal said as he finished his beer. Leaving a nice tip for the bartender Hal put his pilot jacket back on. He and Barry shook hands. "If I don't see you, good luck with everything."

"Same to you." Barry responded.

"Alright, you ready to go." Caitlin asked as Hal left the bar.

"Hey, Caitlin can I ask you something?" Iris asked as everyone was quickly filling out of the bar.

Barry and Caitlin exchanged looks. "Go on, I'll meet you at my car." Caitlin told the scarlet speedster before walking back to Iris. "What's up Iris?"

"You came to me several months ago asking about the Burning Man. I was wondering do you know who he is?"

Caitlin didn't respond right away. "I'm sorry Iris, but I have no idea who he is. I was asking about him because I saw him following me and…I was just curious. Kind of how you were with the Flash, you know before he became publicly known."

"Right." Iris said smiling before fishing through her bag. "That's what I thought initially until I came across this." She pulled out a photo and handed it to Caitlin who's eyes grew wider. "Look familiar?"

"I…is this…what…?" Caitlin was just babbling unsure how to respond to the photo of Firestorm's face.

"That's you cousin right? Sam was it? If that is even his real name."

"Iris…"

"Caitlin, I'm asking you as a friend, something is going on at S.T.A.R. Labs, I need to know what's happening there. I know you guys saved Barry's life and I cannot express how grateful I am for it but I need to know and you can start by telling me who this really is." She took back the photo and flashed it in Caitlin's face. "And maybe, if you want you can tell me about your connection to the Flash."

"What?"

"Oh, come on Caitlin don't deny it. Why else would that guy kidnap you to get to the Flash?" Iris was in full investigative mode but her last few words she suddenly wanted to take back. "Ok, that was uncalled for on my part."

Caitlin didn't know how to respond to Iris. "I-I'm sorry Iris, but I-I have to go. Could we…please talk about this…later?" She asked, practically begged. As she quickly left the bar to meet up with Barry and Cisco, they had an Ice meta-human to deal with.

"Um, sure I guess. It isn't that important. I'm just curious that's all." Once Caitlin left Iris put the photo back in her bag. '_I've never seen Caitlin act like that before. Something is definitely happening at S.T.A.R. Labs.'_

* * *

Meanwhile Hal Jordan turned into an ally way behind the bar. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny green ring and placed it on his right middle finger.

"Just a normal trip to Central City Jordan, see your old friend hit on a couple of ladies then head back to Coast City before Carol even knows I'm gone, but no. There just had to be crime and super powered people everywhere. Guess I've got to teach these punks that no one messes with my buddy's home city and gets away with it." He extended his ring wearing hand and called forth a green ball of energy from which a green lantern emerged. He placed his ringed knuckle against the lantern and took a breath. "**In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night, No Evil Shall escape my sight. Let those who worship Evil's might, beware my Power, Green Lantern's Light**!"

* * *

Here ends the chapter

Please tell me what you liked, didn't like, look forward to/think will happen, or your general thoughts and comments, this'll help me make this story better, no more of these one to two word reviews. I would like legit reviews. I'm a big boy so I can take criticism.

If there's anyone who speaks French I apologies if I butchered your beautiful language. Let me know how badly I butchered it.

Thank You, and if you sneezed while reading this Bless you.

Have a Fantastic day


	4. The Quick and the Green

**Disclaimer: **The following is a nonprofit Fan based story; The FLASH and all related characters are owned by DC comics, the CW and anyone I may have missed

**A/N:** For anyone wondering Hal is going to be a blend of how is is portrayed in the Comics (Confident and Serious) how he was portrayed in the Green Lantern TV Show (kind of spirited) and how he and Barry interact in the DCAU. (Childish)

* * *

_The Flash: Moving Forward_

Chapter 4: The Quick and the Green

* * *

In downtown Central City Police set up a barricade in an attempt to prevent icicle Jr. as the iceman rampaged through the city leaving a frozen city in his wake.

"Freeze!" Joe called out as he and a dozen officers aimed their guns at the approaching iceman.

"That's my line assholes." Icicle Jr. replied. He extended his left hand and unleashed a torrent of ice, air and snow. The police retaliated by raising the riot shields that Cisco had developed for their encounter with Captain Cold several weeks ago. Because Mahkent's attack was nowhere near as cold as Snart's gun the shields stopped the arctic blast in its tracks.

"Fire!" Captain Singh ordered

"Wait!" Joe cried out but the CCPD began to open fire in the ice meta-human.

Mahkent raised his right arm to block the bullets. The Ice of his arms expanded into a great shield/wall of ice which took the brunt of the bullets. "Is that all you got?" Eddie saw and opening and took it. His bullet found its way past Icicle's shield and hit his forehead, causing the ice meta-human to begin falling back.

"Got him" Eddie said lowering his firearm.

Mahkent stopped falling and quickly stood back up. Eddie's bullet was lodged in his forehead, frozen in place. He smirked devilishly. In an instant he launched dozens of large icicles at the police. These icicles were so large and strong that some of them pierced through the riot shields and into the police, Eddie found one piercing into his right shoulder.

"You want some more?" He held his hands as if he was holding a ball and soon there was a whirling mass of frozen air between his hands. "Take this!" He blasted it into the ground and nearly instantly a field of large ice spikes tore through the concrete and asphalt. Anything that these icicles touched froze nearly instantly.

"Heeheeheehee! I'm invincible now!"

* * *

Meanwhile Barry was racing out of STAR Labs. He actually had to ride with Caitlin and Cisco the entire way so as to not arouse suspicions. Moments later he was on his way to help the police deal with Mahkent.

"_Alright Barry take a left here."_ He turned left. _"Take a right…Now!"_ The fastest man alive turned right on a dime. _"This'll take you straight to where the police have Icicle blocked off."_

"_Be careful Barry."_ Caitlin pleaded _"We have no idea how much Mahkent's powers have evolved since the last time you fought."_

"Last time I took him down fairly easily!" Barry partially shouted into his communication device. "This'll be over quick."

* * *

Many officers began to lose their nerve, but one brave soul in an armored SUV got his vehicle in gear and tried to ram Icicle at 60mph. Mahkent stomped his foot down and a large icicle erupted from the ground under the SUV launching it into the air before he caught it over his head. In mere seconds the entire SUV was completely encased in ice.

"Give me a real fight!" Icicle demanded menacingly before chucking the frozen SUV at the police, specifically Eddie Thawne.

A blur of red followed closely by yellow electricity raced to the police line moving any officer in danger of being hit by the oncoming projectile out of the way.

"I guess I owe you one." Eddie said as he let out a breath of relief after being saved by the Flash.

"_**Stay out of these positions detective**_." The Flash replied with his signature vibrating voice and face.

"Everyone get back!" Joe ordered "Let the Flash handle this!" the members of the Central City Precinct all backed off as their lead detective ordered.

"Hey Frosty!" Barry flashed over in front of Cameron Mahkent.

"Grr…Flash…" He said in a low cold voice.

"You want me Icicle? Here I am!"

Icicle cracked his neck before charging Barry, who easily made a move out of the way, barely avoiding his frozen claw.

"Ok, that was close."

"_Barry, keep your distance."_ Well's voice said in his ear _"Your molecules slowed down when you got too close to him."_

"Raaah!" Mahkent launched countless icicles at the Flash, but the fastest man alive easily bobbed and weaved through the oncoming projectiles.

"So I can't get close to him, great. So how do I stop him?"

"_His entire body may look like it's made of ice but it seems that his body is encased in the ice, much like how Girder's skin turned to metal."_ Cisco said

"So what? I hit him with a supersonic punch?"

"_Doing that runs the risk of you injuring yourself more than you're going to injure him. If his physiology forces your atoms to slow down then that means you won't be able to hit him at the proper speed, in other words…It's really going to hurt."_ Caitlin's voice said

"So how fast would I have to hit him if my speed decreases as I get close to him?" Barry barely moved out of the way as Icicle charged him once more before unleashing a wave of large ice spikes from the ground.

"_Given all the factors, and the fact his skin is ice not steel…"_ Barry dodged another claw sweep.

"Guys!"

"_Just hit him at your top speed Barry."_ Wells said "_His ability shouldn't reduce your speed that much if you're clocking Mach 1.22."_

"_You're going to need to be about seven miles away for this to work." _Cisco said

"OK!" and in a flash Barry bolted past Mahkent, leaving the Iceman confused. Thirty seconds later Barry was 7.73 miles away from Icicle. He turned around and readied himself.

Like a lightning bolt he took off, racing for Icicle and unleashing a sonic boom that shattered all glass in the immediate area. And another thirty seconds later he was practically on top of him, his arm cocked back ready to clock the ice meta-human in the face. As he closed in Mahkent whirled around. Barry felt himself slowdown as he drew closer and closer to Icicle. Unfortunately the supersonic punch didn't work as Mahkent caught his punch and stopped the flash dead in his tracks. Barry's eyes widened I shock as he watched ice creep up his arm.

* * *

"Oh no." Caitlin whispered as she watched Barry's core temperature begin to drop, the speed of this molecules decrease and his vitals begin to fluctuate dangerously. "Barry is being frozen!"

Cisco was stunned because the supersonic punch did not work even though it was cool as all hell. If the Flash was being frozen Cisco just hoped that the suit would be able to provide Barry with some protection. it was after all designed to be a firefighter suit of sorts.

Wells meanwhile was gripping the arms of his chair tightly, pushing himself up slightly ready to race out there and rescue Barry, even if it meant exposing himself.

* * *

"Ha! I'm stronger than you are Flash!" Still holding Barry's frozen arm Icicle proceeded to perform a shoulder throw on the super speed meta-human slamming him into the concrete and asphalt. "Now I'll kill you for what you did to my dad!"

"What?" Barry questioned. He then remembered the video tape which showed the Flash snapping Icicle Sr.'s neck a week ago. Icicle Jr. is out for revenge. He moved to stab the Flash but Barry rolled out of the way. "I didn't kill your father!"

"LIES!" Icicle swiped his arm, creating an armada of icicles to be thrown at the Flash. "I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES! YOU KILLED HIM!" As he yelled his body expelled a massive amount of cold air and large icicles erupted all around him.

Barry made a move to run but three icicles struck him in the left shoulder, his lower left gut and his right calf. Barry stumbled in pain before falling to the ground. Nearly in that same instant Icicle placed his hands on the ground and sent a wave of ice to freeze Barry solid. The fastest man alive mustered all his strength and moved slightly out of the way, but he found his left foot frozen in place.

"That security tape from Dr. Elias' lab was a fake! I didn't kill your father!"

"I know what I saw." Icicle said "I saw the whole thing happen before I lost consciousness in the Doc's machine. You may not think you killed my father, but I know it was you!" With a wicked smirk he closed the distance between the Flash and himself. "Any last words Flash?" Icicle asked as he raised an Ice claw to eviscerate the helpless Barry.

Barry's life kind of flashed before his eyes several times. He looked away from Icicle and caught Joe's petrified eyes for a millisecond.

_"Barry!"_ Caitlin yelled through the communication link.

"Damn it." Eddie growled. He and Joe grabbed two temperature riot shields and ran to help the Flash.

'_I ain't loosing Barry!'_ Joe thought as he readied to fight the ice meta-human

Suddenly a streak of green light rushed by the detectives, and towards the ice meta-human and the Flash.

"How about, 'watch out for that train!'" Icicle and the Flash both looked up when they heard a new voice call out.

There was a flash of green light "**WHOOOO**!** WHOOOOOOOOO**!" Icicle turned to his right just in time to see a life sized Green Train come racing into him at full throttle. With a mighty crash the train hit Icicle head on, pummeling him for a dozen or so meters before slamming him into a wall of a frozen building.

"Whoops. Didn't mean to cause that much damage."

Barry looked up to see another man floating in the air above him.

Like Barry he also wore a costume. Its torso was green with black sleeves and pants, white gloves and green boots and his face was concealed by a small green mask, very similar to the on Barry had given Oliver. Barry honestly believed he had seen this guy before.

"Let me give you a hand." He extended his right hand and green light sprung from the ring on his hand. The light molded itself into an ice pick and hammer and quickly chiseled Barry out of his frozen foot and arm.

He gracefully landed on the ground next to Barry and extended his hand to help him up. "So, you're the guardian angel of Central City I've heard a lot about."

* * *

"What the heck is that?" Cisco questioned

"Barry's vitals are back to normal."

"Cisco can you pull up a traffic cam?" Wells asked relaxing his grip and moving his foot back onto the wheelchair, which went completely unnoticed by Caitlin and Cisco.

"Sure thing Dr. Wells." Cisco said plugging away at his computer and seconds later a traffic cam came into view on their screen and there stood the Flash, talking with a man I a green and black suit. "Is that Oliver?"

"Don't be ridiculous Cisco. Oliver uses a bow and he wears a hood. Do you honestly think he'd come all the way to Central City to prance around without two of his trademarks?" The bio-engineer said

"Maybe…" Cisco said. "He's come here on a whim before."

"That was to get out help in catching Harkness." Caitlin pointed out.

"So, if he's not the Arrow who is he?" Wells asked trying to play clueless to who the man was.

"He's got to be a meta-human, and an actual good guy meta-human!" Cisco asked "I mean, how many people do we know or know of that can make giant green trains out of light? Which means I'll need to come up with a good nick name for him soon."

"Whoever he is he just saved Barry's life." Caitlin said relieved.

Wells just smirked knowingly; he knew exactly who that was. '_I never would have guessed that Green Lantern would show up at this time. You sure know how to surprise people huh, Hal Jordan?'_

* * *

Barry took the hand and quickly was back on his feet. "I'm the Flash, nice to meet you."

"Like wise. I'm Green Lantern of sector 2814." They shook each other's hand with a strong grip.

"Do I know you?" Barry asked "You look and sound familiar." _'This guy looks and sounds almost exactly like Hal.'_

"I get that a lot, and that's coming from a guy who serves 138 planets including Earth. So I don't think you know me, at least not personally." _'This guy looks and sounds almost exactly like Barry.'_

In the midst of the budding bromance Icicle stood back up after being pummeled by a train. The majority of the ice on his body had shattered revealing his human body underneath, though it quickly was covered back up with more ice.

"Geeze, I hit that guy with a train. How durable is he?"

"Well, you did kind of shatter his outer layer of ice." Barry replied "Can you do it again to break his ice shell completely?"

Green Lantern cracked his neck and his ring began to glow with powerful green energy. "No problem. Why?"

"I knocked him unconscious with one punch last tiome we fought. That was before he became encased in ice."

"So he's actually a weakling. I can get behind that." Green Lantern cracked his knuckles and was soon covered in a green aura all before he blitzed Icicle. He swung his ring arm and several small ballistics materialized before they rocketed at Mahkent. The ice meta-human countered by erecting a wall of ice.

Mahkent swiped his arm, flinging Green Lantern into a lamp post.

As that happened Barry raced in and punched Icicle as many times as he could in multiple places. Barry made a move to circle around Icicle into his blind spot but the ice meta-human created a trail of Ice that Barry slipped on, sending him sliding down the road. Before he could hit anything too painful, Barry found himself stopped by a large green catcher's mitt.

"You Ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine." Barry said getting back on his feet. "I just didn't expect this guy to be so tough."

"He's not that tough."

"I did take him out once before, but that was when he was more human and less abominable snowman."

"Hey, just leave the smashing of his ice shell to me." His ring began to glow with a fiery green light. "We got this!" The Emerald Knight said as he readied himself to rush Icicle once more.

"'We got this!' That's you big battle cry?"

"Is there a reason that you're being a smartass?" Using the light from his ring Green Lantern created a large right fist with brass knuckles on it and used that to punch the ice meta-human cracking his ice armor. He followed up with a similar left hand. He pummeled at Icicle for several seconds before he hand both hands cup around Mahkent like he was a ball and they wound up. He looked over to the Flash who held up one finger. Green Lantern shook his head. Barry held up two fingers to which the emerald knight nodded. "Here's the wind up, and the pitch!" Green Lantern pitched Icicle jr. right at Barry with tremendous speed and force.

Barry ran towards the oncoming meta-human at top speed and held out his arm before slamming it into Icicle's chest for a devastating lariat which cracked the ice armor even more, the force from Barry's attack through Icicle back at Green Lantern, who countered by forming a dozen concrete and steel walls out of green light and watched as Icicle smashed through each one, breaking off more and more of his ice armor untill there was almost nothing left. With a cocky smirk Hal formed a large bat out of green light.

"Batter up." With a mighty swing Green Lantern's bat collided with Icicle and jettisoned him into the air. "It's going!"

"It's going!" Barry echoed

Icicle sailed incredibly far into the air, clearing several tall buildings.

"It's out of here!"

"A home run!" Barry cheered as he came up next to the Emerald Knight.

"We make a pretty awesome team don't we Flash." Green lantern extended his hand for a hand shake. But instead they slapped their hands together, forehand and back hand, before utilizing the 'exploding fist bump' and over the top high five and a wicked down low, a midair chest bump and an extremely exaggerated hand shake with the opposite hand.

"So, this is what you've been doing with your free time, Barry." Green Lantern said knowing full well who was beneath the Flash's mask. "Guess being a nerd paid off for you."

"I could say the same thing to you, Hal." The Flash said smirking. "You have to tell me where you learned all these new tricks."

"Back at you Barry."

* * *

The members of the Central City Police department were speechless. When all seemed lost against that Ice monster two, not one, superheroes came to their rescue.

It was a good thing both the Flash and Green Lantern were barely visible and out of audible range because they would have just revealed their identities to everyone otherwise.

"Looks like we have another guardian angel, huh Joe." Eddie said standing next to detective West.

"Yeah…" Joe sighed "Guess we have another one to deal with. At least this one is on our side."

* * *

"We should probably catch him before he causes even more damage." Barry said

"Right" Hal replied he levitated into the air. "Want a ride?" he asked as his ring glowed

"How about I race you instead." the fastest man alive challenged.

"You think you can beat me in a race?"

"I am the fastest man alive."

Hal got a cocky grin " You cocky son of a bitch. You're on Barry!"

"Hey, I learned to be cocky in 'Being Cocky 101 with professor Hal Jordan.'"

And the two heroes raced of in a blur of red and green light to see who was faster, the Fastest Man Alive or the Guardian of the Universe.

* * *

Later at S.T.A.R. Labs after locking Cameron Mahkent in the particle accelerator cell Barry and Hal entered the main lab area, both with their masks off, yet they were both still in costume.

"So, you're telling me that you've got a prison on another planet?" Barry said as they walked in.

"More specifically the entire Cor. has a prison on a planet in the center of the universe. You're prison is somewhat more cozy than the one the little blue men whipped up.

"Nice to see you again Hal." Caitlin greeted as the two heroes entered the lab. "Barry, how much of our operation does he need to know about?"

"Hey, I'm a superhero." Hal interjected "Your secret crime fighting team is safe with me, though perhaps you can buy my silence with dinner?" He asked the bio engineer, but it was Barry who answered for her.

"I know you wouldn't do that Hal."

"You're right, I wouldn't."

"Dude, you've got to show me how your light show works!" Cisco pleaded "I need to see how you make all those things out of light!"

"Sure." Hal held up his ring hand and created a green hand. "It's actually pretty cool, you see-"

"Mr. Jordan it's nice to meet you." Dr. Wells rolled up to Hal and they shook hands. "I'm assuming you're the hot shot pilot that Ms. Ferris was complaining about when we last met."

"You know Carol?"

"Yes, she spoke of you in high regards."

"Of course she did." Hal said kind of full of himself

"She also said you're cocky, barely show up to your job and when you do show up you leave early. She also said you've blown up several extremely expensive prototypes."

"Of course she did." Hal said with a heavy sigh.

"Seeing as how you're out there saving the world and Universe I'd say you're justified." Wells said "If there is one thing Miss. Ferris said about you that I completely agree with its that she sees your potential and believes that you will accomplish great things in the future."

"Thanks Dr. Wells." Hal said

"If you work for Ferris Air then you must know that we have permission from her for continued use on one of Ferris Air's old air strips." Wells replied "In fact, that's where we run quite a few tests for Barry's speed."

"We also use the treadmill for that as well." Cisco pointed out.

"Cool! Barry how fast can you go?"

"Dunnno. What's the biggest thing you can create with that ring?"

"Haven't tried that yet." Hal said before he and Barry began to laugh out loud. "But I can fly around Mach 10 here on earth and close to light speed. My mentor has hit light speed."

"Oh man that's awesome!" Cisco said "You've got to show me how your powers work now."

Barry looked a little distraught, Hal was faster than him, that meant Hal should have easily won their race. "So it's safe to say you're the fastest man alive."

Hal pondered for a moment. "Naw, it doesn't ring as well with my name. Besides without this ring I'm slower than a normal person. You said it yourself, you have no clue how fast you can really go, for all we know you can move so fast the light from my ring is at a standstill."

"Those two have the most beautiful bromance I have ever seen." Cisco said sucking on a new lollipop "It's like…I don't know how to describe it."

"This is just getting weirder. In terms of peppiness and energy, Hal is making Barry look like Oliver." Caitlin commented. "Heck, those two act like a married couple." She added under her breath, though Cisco could hear it.

"Not as much as you and Barry." the mechanical engineer told his friend with a childish smile.

"Shut up!"

"So, how many times have you tripped while running and banged yourself up?" Hal asked his super speed buddy

"I lost count." Barry said. "I heal quickly so I don't have any scars, plus Caitlin is a great doctor."

"Would you like to know individual injuries, or number of times he's been injured." Caitlin asked coming over to Hal and Barry.

"Both please."

"HAL!" Barry whined at his friend prying into his injury list

"He's had exactly five hundred and 536 different injuries. And he's been injured at least once a week for the last eighteen weeks."

"Caitlinnnnnn!" Barry whined once more, this wasn't fair since it seemed like Caitlin AND Hal were teaming up on him.

"Ouch." Barry said "I've been hurt that much? I've never really thought about it."

"Ha! You still a klutz Barry! Hahaha!" Hal laughed.

"Hey, Hal could I see how your ring works now?" Cisco practically begged

"Sure Cisco." Hal replied as his costume faded away and he stood there in his casual attire.

"Oh man that's cool! I gotta find a way to make my suit easier to store on Barry so he doesn't need to recklessly fold it in a close, bag or have to come here whenever he needs it." He sent Barry a look.

"What?" Barry questioned "You're still mad at the wrinkles in the suit? That was like fifteen weeks ago!"

"Hey! It took me a freaking week to get those wrinkles out!"

"Well, this has been an eventful evening" Dr. Wells interjected "but I think its time we all rest. Mr. Jordan, It was nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you so long as you're here in Central City." He shook Hal's hand before wheeling out of the lab. "As for you three, I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

"Sure, no problem Dr. Wells." Barry said before turning to Hal "Hey, if you want you can crash at my place."

"Joe's house." Caitlin shot into the conversation as she got her coat and bag.

"What ever, you can cash there, just don't show up at some godforsaken hour as a lighthouse."

"I guess I'm heading home." Cisco said before yawning before giving Hal a high five. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, you owe me a ring demonstration."

"No Problem Cisco." Hal said "So Barry you ready to go?"

"Yeah" Barry looked down to see that he was still in his suit. "Hang on a second." Literally less than a second later Barry was back in his regular cloths and adjusting his coat collar. "OK, now I'm ready."

"Hey Barry, can I talk to you for a moment?" Caitlin said as she finished buttoning up her coat.

"I'll give you two a minute." Hal said before stepping out with a smirk.

"Sure Cait, what's up?" He asked as the two of them lingered while Hal and Cisco left them alone in the main lab.

"I think Iris is suspicious of us." Caitlin said.

"What could possibly make you think that?" He asked "Every time I'm around her as the Flash I'm vibrating my concealed face and changing my voice."

"It isn't so much the Flash, but rather Ronnie. She showed me a picture of Ronnie as Firestorm and kind of called us out on that lie we told her, you know where you said Ronnie was my cousin and I said his name was Sam?"

"What did she say?" Barry asked slightly worried

"Well she heavily implied that she believes you, rather the Flash and I are connected, or at least she believes I know who's under the mask."

"Oh…" Barry scratched the back of his head. "What did you tell her exactly?"

"I kind of panicked and told her that we'd talk about it later." Caitlin said. Barry gave her a questioning look. "I'm serious! She caught me off guard and I just sort of started to ramble. We're lucky I didn't say that you are the Flash."

"You think we should tell her? You know, that I'm the Flash and everything?"

"I don't know." Caitlin replied "How do you think Iris will react if we tell her we've been lying to her the entire time or when she finds out on her own?"

"She's gonna be pissed either way, mostly at the fact that she's apparently the only one that didn't know. Think about it, you know I'm the Flash, Cisco knows Dr. Wells knows, Joe knows, I'm pretty sure my Dad figured it out, Ronnie, Professor Stein, Clarissa, hell even Hal knows. Practically everyone I know and care about knows my secret" Barry sighed "You know what, let's tell her, me and you."

"What?"

"Tomorrow you and I will meet with Iris and explain everything to her, all of it, or if you're more comfortable with it we'll let her in on Ronnie and Firestorm."

"Ok..." Caitlin said. "Tomorrow We're were going to let Iris in on the secret we've been hiding for the last eighteen weeks."

"And I'm going to pray to every god I know that she won't get too mad with us." Barry finished. "So, what time should I pick you up tomorrow."

"What?" Caitlin was taken aback by Barry's question

"To meet with Iris? What time should we meet with her?"

"I don't know, noon?" Caitlin asked.

"Perfect! We can do it in a semi public place where she can't make too big a scene if she gets mad! Hey, you want a ride home?"

"As fun as it is to move at super speeds I think I'll pass." Caitlin said "I have a car remember?"

"Fine, this means I'll just pick you up at noon tomorrow." Barry said smiling "Guess I'll see you then Cait." he turned into the hallway after Hal.

"What just happened?" Caitlin wondered aloud to herself. "Did I just get talked into going on another inadvertent date with Barry?"

* * *

Meanwhile at Elias Industries Dr. Elias poured himself a glass of bourbon. To day was the day he was to give his answer to the man in the black suit, or Paradox as he called himself. An instant later he found himself in the center of a swirling cyclone of red electricity.

"_**Dr. Elias. Have you come to a decision**_?" Paradox said as he slowed down and became more visible.

"I have." Elias replied "I'll help you take down the Flash."

_"**I knew you'd see things my way**. **After all** **you cannot bear to see someone like the Flash squander his abilities helping the common folk**."_

"What do you need me to do?"

_"**There is a man in Coast City, his name is William Hand. I need you to procure a certain device that he owns**_."

"What is this device? and what does it do?"

"_**It is a power absorption device. With a few adjustments it will allow us to drain the Flash of his Powers and uses them for our own purposes**_. _**You can use it to make fuel cells filled with limitless clean energy or whatever it is you're diving into**_."

"Very well, but might I ask why don't you retrieve this device? Why do you need my help in all of this? You're fast, perhaps you could just kill the Flash."

"_**If that were possible I would have done so already. No, I want to make him suffer as I have suffered. I will destroy every one he loves, his City, his accomplishments, his ambitions. I will end him for what he did to me, or should I say WILL do to me." **_Paradox stopped his speech before turning away from Elias. "_**Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to visit a friend of sorts. He has something I want after all. Have Hand's device in three days and we'll begin the next phase of my plan**_."

* * *

Here ends the chapter

Please tell me what you liked, didn't like, look forward to/think will happen, or your general thoughts and comments, this'll help me make this story better, no more of these one to two word reviews. I would like legit reviews. I'm a big boy so I can take criticism.

If there's anyone who speaks French I apologies if I butchered your beautiful language. Let me know how badly I butchered it.

Thank You, and if you sneezed while reading this Bless you.

Have a Fantastic day


	5. Paradox Attacks

**Disclaimer: **The following is a nonprofit Fan based story; The FLASH and all related characters are owned by DC comics, the CW and anyone I may have missed.

**A/N:** I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I took a lot of inspiration from the recent comics with this chapter, though I've changed a few things up. There probably won't be a chapter next week but never say never.

* * *

_The Flash: Moving Forward_

Chapter 5: Paradox Attacks

* * *

The following morning Cisco strolled into the main lab whistling, but he stopped when he noticed someone who should have been there wasn't. "Huh. That's odd. Where's Dr. Wells?" He uttered to himself. He strolled over to the computer monitors and booted up the cameras while singing to himself. "~'Cause we could be Immortals, Immortals just not for long, for long.~"

"_Cisco!_" Cisco's ear's perked at the sound of his name over the intercom.

"Yes Dr. Wells?" he asked back.

"_Cisco, come down to the Particle Accelerator! We have a situation._" Dr. Well's voice said over the intercom, he sounded agitated and rather upset, yet still was a semi-calm voice.

A short while later Cisco was walking into the Particle Accelerator and saw Dr. Wells sitting there in his wheel chair in front of him was one of their jerry rigged cells; the front of it had been shattered completely.

"Oh, man…" Cisco whispered stunned "What happened here?"

"That, Cisco, is exactly what I want to know." Wells said as he turned his chair around. "Because right now we have four meta-humans on the loose, two of which are extremely dangerous, capable of harming Barry Allen or doing far worse to him."

* * *

Meanwhile Barry was leaning against the wall next to the elevator waiting for Caitlin to arrive. Soon after, she stepped out of the elevator.

"So, how'd you sleep Dr. Snow?" he began which startled Caitlin making her almost drop her coffee, which Barry speedily caught and handed back to her.

"Geeze… I thought you said you weren't going to do that anymore? And why are you asking about how well I slept last night?"

"I never said that." Barry answered taking a sip of his coffee. "As for last night I was just curious, 'cause I was up all last night."

"You were up all night thinking about what we'll tell Iris?"

"Only for about an hour, the rest of the night Hal and I watched several back to back movies; Top Gun, Independence Day, and Fast and the Furious 1, Pacific Rim, Back to the Future, and our absolute favorite"

"Let me guess, Star Wars?"

"No, we watched the Karate Kid, you know the original. Where the hell did you get the idea that Star Wars is our all-time favorite movie?"

"Call it a bad hunch I guess." The bio engineer replied "And do you honestly expect me to believe you watched six movies in a row last night? That would mean you're running on no sleep."

"Why do you think I'm drinking coffee?" Barry responded "I am literally running on fumes right now."

"Speaking of your sleepless friend" Caitlin looked over her shoulder and around for a quick moment. "Where's Hal?"

"Well, between the two of us, Hal isn't exactly a morning person." The fastest man alive replied "He's more of a sleep to noon and stay awake until four in the morning. He'll be here by this afternoon. We probably won't be here but he did promise to show Cisco how his ring works."

The duo walked into the main lab and they saw Wells sitting in his chair while Cisco stood next to him holding his tablet. Images of the cells within the Particle Accelerator were on the large monitors for their viewing. The cells where they had been keeping the bad meta's were all shattered, and all of those super powered bad guys were gone.

"Dr. Wells what's going on?" Caitlin asked before the handicapped doctor wheeled around.

"What's going on is that there was a break in at STAR Labs last night." Wells said noticeably gripping the arms of his chair tightly.

"What!?" Barry asked aloud "Are you guys OK? Was anything stolen? Don't tell me Cold's Gun was stolen!"

"Don't worry about the Captain Cold and Heatwave's weapons Barry." Cisco replied before swiping across his tablet to that live footage of the room, where said weapons were stored was on the main screen. "They're still locked up nice and tight. I checked them personally just after we discovered what happened."

"Though, there were a few things that were stolen." Wells said.

"What exactly?"

"All the data we have on Barry and his powers was down loaded and we're missing our inmates." Wells finished

"All of them?" Caitlin asked

"The Mist, Prism, Peek-a-boo, Icicle, Hell even Farooq's body was taken." Cisco said as he brought their profiles up on the monitor. Barry and Caitlin also got to see the footage of a red and black streak breaking open their cells and taking each one of them out of STAR Labs to places unknown.

"I thought they couldn't escape form the pipeline?"

"Like I said before, they can't escape. They were let out."

"By who?" Barry asked

"By Paradox." Wells replied. Cisco brought up the footage on the main screen and Barry watched as Paradox effortlessly infiltrated STAR Labs at impossible speeds and proceeded to break out all the meta-humans they had rounded up.

"How did he even know they were locked up here?" Caitlin asked

"You guess is as good as mine." Cisco said.

"Perhaps…" Wells began which got his three associates attention "perhaps…he's been following you Barry."

"Wha-"

"I'm not saying it's your fault that he got in here, but if he knows that it is you under the Flash's mask then there's no telling who he will attack to hurt you." Wells said. "Remember what Joe told you? The Reverse-Flash threatened to kill Iris, someone you're very close to. We cannot rule out that he know who you are, and where to hurt you!"

"If that's the case then we're all in danger." Caitlin said

"Not just us. Joe, Iris, Eddie, Linda, my Dad. They're all at risk. And the only one we can really warn about this break out is Joe." Barry voiced.

"You guys realize what this means? We have to catch them all over again. Two of them required extra help to catch." Cisco pointed out.

"We'll stop them Barry." Caitlin reassured him "We did it before."

"We will catch them all Barry." Wells reassured him. "First, Cisco and I are going to reinforce the Particle Accelerator and increase our precautions against enemy speedsters. When we're done it'll be just a matter of finding where they're hiding as well as what they'll plan on doing next."

"I think it's a safe bet to assume that The Mist and Icicle will be coming after the Flash in revenge." Cisco said. "Prism may just go back to robbing banks while Peek-a-boo might just be laying low considering what you told us about her. Don't worry; we'll work this out man." He patted Barry's shoulder in reassurance.

"Well, guess it's a good thing I decided not to sleep in this morning." All four of them turned to see Hal leaning in the door way, still wearing his piolet jacket. "When do we start?"

"We already did." Barry replied with a cocky grin.

* * *

Sure enough as predicted Roy G. Bivolo AKA Prism (as Cisco called him) AKA Rainbow Raider (as Caitlin called him) was seen at another back attempting to rob it. In a heartbeat the Flash was there ready to put him back in his cell.

"Alright Bivolo just turn yourself in quietly and no one gets hurt." Prism turned around. The only difference between now and the last time he fought the Flash was that he was now wearing a pair of goggles over his eyes, strange high-tech goggles.

"Oh it's the Flash. I was told you might come back for me. This time I'm prepared to fight you." He extended his hands and suddenly shot out a beam of energy that was all the colors of the rainbow.

Barry easily dodged out of the way and watched as the wall it hit turned red, then orange, then yellow, then green, then blue, then indigo then violet before returning to its original color.

"OK, that's new."

"Come on Flash! Make this more fun!" He fired another beam, this time hitting a mirror in the back which reflected the light back at Barry from behind, but the scarlet speed steer dodged out of the way once more. "Hold still Damn it!" He continued firing his beam but this time he jumped up and was on top of a rainbow.

"That's also new." Barry said before bolting out of the Bank with Prism in tow.

"Come Back Fl-" He was cut off when his head collided with a large green bar. He tumbled off his rainbow which dissipated and was unconscious.

"A man glides into a bar, ouch." Green Lantern said as he landed near Barry.

"I had it handled." Barry said as he stopped next to Hal.

"Really? From the way I saw it you would have been dancing with the devil if Cisco finds out you turned his suit pink."

Barry looked down and sure enough his suit was now violet in color. He hung his head before he began to run around in a circle. When he stopped his suit was back to its original red color. And Hal was hovering while Prism was being suspended by green light.

"Let's go, we've still got three of your meta-humans to catch." Hal said

* * *

The two super heroes quickly rounded up The Mist, which wasn't hard once they found him. Hal just formed a green sphere around the gaseous man and prevented him from spreading or escaping.

"OK, that one was too easy." Hal said as he and Barry watched Nimbus pound against Hal's sphere construct trying to escape. "Yeah keep trying buddy, you won't be getting out of that any time soon."

And a little while later both Barry and Hal were back at STAR Labs.

* * *

"Alright so it only took us two hours, but we caught two of our four missing Meta-humans." Barry said as they walked in.

"Nice job!" Cisco said as he high fived both Barry and Hal. "We got two bad Meta's in record time."

"It looks like the last two are laying low for the time being." Wells said to the two heroes. "I think you two deserve the rest of the day off."

"Really?"

"We all need a rest, after what happened this morning." Wells reaffirmed "We can't exhaust ourselves too much."

"Hal, you still owe me a ring demonstration." Cisco said as he put on his jacket.

"Yeah, no problem. I can show you my stuff over at the air strip."

"Sweet, hey you guys wanna come?" the mechanical engineer asked Caitlin and Barry.

"Uh, we'll be by later." Caitlin said "I asked Barry to help me move a few things back at my apartment."

"You are such a gentleman Barry." Hal said before he had his ring form air quotations. "'Helping her move things.'"

"Shut up Hal…" Barry grumbled "She just asked me to help her out and being a good friend that's what I'm going to do."

"Alright, whatever. Cisco and I will be over at the air strip if you need us." Hal responded before turning to Cisco, his ring glowed with power. "So how do you want to get there? Van? Race car? Jet? Or good old fashion flight?"

"As cool as all those sound I think we should take the lab van, we don't want to raise any unwanted suspicion."

"Fine, it's your call man."

"You ready to go Barry?" Caitlin asked as she put on her coat and grabbed her purse.

"Yeah." Barry replied as he fixed his jacket. "Where did you say we were meeting Iris again?"

"It's a restaurant down on the river." She answered "I figured that it would be public enough where she won't make too big a fuss and at the same time it'll be private enough for us to tell her what we plan to tell her."

"Good call." In an instant Barry unexpectedly scooped Caitlin up bridal style. "Let's go Dr. Snow." In a Flash the duo was down by the dock where the restaurant was located.

The restaurant itself was more or less on the deck of an old wooden ship, Captain Jay's Seafood Ship. And every hour it goes out for a half hour cruise so that its patrons can experience dining on the sea or river in this case since Central City is nowhere near the ocean.

"We could have taken my car you know." Caitlin said as Barry let her down. "We still have like fifteen minutes until the ship next heads out."

"That's too slow for me." Barry responded before he looked around at the ship. "So your plan was for us Iris and us to go out to lunch on a ship that shoves off the dock every hour, with very few people, so we can let her in on this?"

"Pretty much." Caitlin said. "Is it a bad plan?"

"Actually I think this'll work." Barry said "This way she can't totally avoid us while we explain ourselves." He took out his phone and looked at the time; 11:45 am. "Hey look at that, we're early." He chuckled to himself but Caitlin's look of 'why are you laughing now?' made him stop "Not important, so we have about fifteen minutes to kill. What should we do?" he asked

"I think we should go over what we'll be telling Iris one more time." She said "We don't want to say something neither of us wants her to know."

"Well OK, we'll go over what we'll say one more time." Barry looked over at the boardwalk. "Let's go down the board walk, it's a little more private."

For the next fifteen minutes Barry and Caitlin walked down the boardwalk and back. The whole time they discussed what they'd tell Iris, but soon their conversation morphed into the one of the events from the prior morning and more general subjects.

"I still can't believe Shawna and Cameron are still out there." Barry said putting his hands into his pockets. "After catching Nimbus and Bivolo so easily, we should have had them rounded up by this point."

"At least you had Hal helping you out." Caitlin added "You have to admit he's pretty handy with that ring." Barry just rolled his eyes.

"If you're so interested in Hal and his magic ring why don't you go out with him? He was certainly interested in you last night." Caitlin playfully slapped Barry's shoulder. "Ow!"

"How can you even suggest that Barry? I am an engaged woman!"

"Yeah I know." Barry shrugged before noticing Caitlin's change in demeanor. "Hey, if you don't want to tell Iris about Ronnie we don't have to."

"No, I think we should." Caitlin responded. "Had this been a week ago, I don't know how I'd respond. But now I feel much better talking about Ronnie, I know he's out there right now, probably saving people. It's kind of like with you and Iris. She wanted people to know the Flash exists and I want the world to know what Ronnie and Professor Stein are doing." Barry smiled at her sincere answer.

"Now you can't be mad at me for those roof top meetings I had with Iris." Barry joked. "Since she wants the world to know about me the same way you want the world to know about Ronnie."

"Yeah, guess I can't. If I did I'd just be a hypocrite." Caitlin felt her phone going off in her purse. Taking it out she looked at the caller I.D. and saw that it was Iris. "Hello? Hey Iris."

* * *

Over at Captain Jay's Iris was walking up the gangplank. "Hey Caitlin, we're still on for lunch and that thing right?"

"_Of course."_

"Well I'm at Captian Jay's now and I can't find you anywhere."

"_We'll be there in a minute Iris."_ Caitlin's voice said

"We?" Iris asked

"_Yeah, Barry and I are on our way there now. We're just coming down the boardwalk, we'll be there in a minute."_

"Barry's with you?"

"_Yeah._" Caitlin responded _"Didn't I tell you he was joining us this morning?"_

"Um, I'm not sure you did." Iris's voice sounded slightly troubled. "But why is Barry joining us?"

"_There are somethings that Caitlin can't tell you that I can."_ Barry's voice said through the phone, evidentially Caitlin had passed it off to him. "_I kind of pestered Caitlin into letting me join you two for lunch. Are you mad? You're not mad are you?"_

"I…I'm not mad Barry." Iris's head was filled with racing thoughts. Why had Caitlin told Barry about their meeting? Why was Barry insisting to join them? Did Barry know things about the Flash and the Burning Man that even Caitlin didn't know? If so why didn't he tell her? And who else knows these things?"I just kind of wished you guys gave me a heads up about this that's all."

"_I'm really sorry to surprise you with this Iris."_ Barry said _"It's just, there are some secrets Caitlin has that aren't her's to share."_

"I completely understand Barry." Iris replied "I'll see you two when you get here, for now I'll get us a table. Okay, bu-bye." Iris hung up her phone as she walked up to the hostess.

"Hello" Iris was greeted with a cheerful personality. "Welcome to Captain Jay's. How large is your party?"

"Uh, there's three of us." Iris replied

"Alright, follow me to your table." The hostess grabbed three menus and led Iris to a table on the main deck.

* * *

"So how does your ring work exactly?" Cisco asked as he readied a Frisbee.

"Basically I will it to do something and it complies." Cisco threw the Frisbee and Hal shot it with a green energy beam. "Kind of like that."

"Man, we are going to have a great time with this." Cisco fanboyed as he readied a dozen other objects for Hal to blast, catch and in some cases race.

"So, Barry tells me you're the name guy." Hal said. "The guy that names all the bad meta-humans."

"Yup. Plus I make the toys." Cisco said full of pride. "Barry would be streaking all around Central City if I hadn't made him that suit."

"You have a great sense of style." Hal complimented "Otherwise who knows what Barry would be wearing."

* * *

"Here goes everything." Barry said as they walked onto the ship. When they got onto the deck they saw Iris waving them over.

Iris stood up and gave each of them a welcoming hug. "Thanks so much for meeting with me Caitlin."

"No problem Iris."

"To be honest I thought you would just start avoiding me like the plague."

"To also be honest, I thought I was." Barry gave Caitlin a look. "Well, there were some things that are really personal that you were prying into and Barry convinced me that we should talk about them since it should help both of us."

"Speaking of Bear, I thought you'd be hanging out with Hal all day today."

"That was the plan initially but I cleared my schedule when Caitlin called me about your lunch date. For all we know one of you two may need a shoulder to cry on when this is over." Caitlin and Iris gave him slightly annoyed looks for different reasons. Caitlin because it was a terrible lie and Iris just thought it was pathetic excuse.

"This was supposed to be a girls' day out thing." Iris said "How would you feel if I crashed your and Hal's boys day in?"

"That is the exact same thing I said to Barry." Caitlin threw into the conversation smiling. "I believe Barry said 'Hal would totally be okay with it.'"

"Hey!"

"It's the truth."

"That I can believe." Iris said sipping the coffee their waitress had brought them. "So what is so super-secret that it requires both of you to tell me?"

Barry and Caitlin exchanged looks before the fastest man alive spoke up. "Before we start, Promise you won't get too mad with us."

"Why would I get mad with you Bear?"

"Because this secret involves everyone we know. I don't want you to be mad or think that we kept this secret from you specifically."

"OK, I promise." Iris said.

"Ok, here it goes." Barry took a deep breath. "To be completely honest with you Iris, this is something I've been dying to tell you."

"You two are dating behind everyone else's backs." Almost immediately after she finished her sentence Caitlin was spitting out the water she was drinking and started coughing violently while Barry seemed to start choking on a piece of bread he just put in his mouth. It took both of them a moment to recover and answer the aspiring reporter.

"What!? No! No we aren't dating behind anyone's back." the bio engineer said quickly. "I have a fiancée Iris, and I wouldn't dream of cheating on him like this."

"Yeah, and I'm in a committed relationship with Linda. Do you honestly think I'd cheat on her? I don't want to do that to her!"

Iris calmly took a sip of her coffee. "I understand." She said "I was just making sure neither of you were." She put her cup down and turned to Caitlin. "Caitlin, you said you have a fiancé?"

"Yes, and before you ask he is tied to what you were asking me last night." Caitlin took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "God, where do we begin?"

"The beginning would be great." Iris proposed

"Ok, you know about the Particle Accelerator explosion right?" Iris nodded and Barry continued "Well, according to Dr. Wells the explosion unleashed a whole slew of unknown energies into our world. These energies bonded with an unknown number of people triggering genetic changes within their DNA."

"Could you explain that again in non-nerd please?" She asked

"The explosion gave people superpowers." Caitlin translated.

"So, like Tony, the Flash and your cousin?"

"Right." Caitlin responded "So far most of these meta-humans have been, less than friendly. And we've been helping the Flash catch the bad ones and lock them up."

"I was right! You are close to the Flash!"

"I only work with him." Caitlin replied "I'm just there to make sure he doesn't kill himself. I'd hardly call us that close. Besides I've got Ronnie."

"Who's Ronnie?"

"He's Caitlin's fiancé." Barry replied he glanced at Caitlin who nodded to him. "You probably know him better as Sam, or the Burning Man."

"So Caitlin, your fiancée is a super hero? That must be exciting."

"I guess so." Caitlin replied "I assume that's what he's doing. Last time I saw him he flew off." Iris gave her a funny look. "Yeah, my fiancé can fly."

"Cool, now I can see why you were so hesitant to tell me last night. I mean if I was dating or engaged to the Flash or one of these meta-humans like that Green Lantern guy I'd probably be acting the same way you were." She then smiled brightly with excitement. "You guys have to tell me all about him. What can he do exactly? Why did the military conduct an operation at Jitters when you two were there? Were they after Sa- I mean Ronnie? Wait, is that why you guys stayed at my dad's house? Wait, does he know about all of this? Who else knows about all of this?" She began to ramble off questions like a nonstop child on a sugar rush.

Caitlin looked aback when she was assaulted with an endless barrage of questions. "Uh, I can't really tell you any of those things, they aren't my secrets to tell." Iris looked disappointed "I can tell you that he doesn't go by the Burning Man, he prefers Firestorm."

"Now you can see why we lied to you when Caitlin and Ronnie stayed with me and Joe?" Barry asked.

"I get it." She replied "I totally get it. Since Caitlin is so close to Firestorm so she is a potential target for those trying to get to him."

"Which is the exact reason why Ronnie left." Caitlin said. She smiled to herself as she thought of the last words Ronnie spoke to her.

"He left?"

"Yeah." Caitlin replied kind of wanting this part of the conversation to end.

Iris caught her expression and decided to lay off the Ronnie subject. Taking another sip of her coffee she decided to continue to the main course in her opinion. "So, how close are you to the Flash exactly? You are clearly close to him if you're the one who stops him from killing himself."

"Uh," Caitlin and Barry exchanged looks before she spoke up. "We help him find the bad meta-humans."

"And in turn we help him learn more about his powers." Barry added. "Or at least that's what they do; I just help with finding ways to stop them."

"You know him too Barry?"

"More than you know Iris." Barry said under his breath. "Yeah, I help find the identities of any meta-humans they come across. Joe and I are their eyes and ears in the CCPD."

"So both you and my dad know who the Flash is?" Iris was getting agitated "And both of you had the audacity to tell me to stay away from him!" She started to raise her voice, but not enough to draw unwanted attention. "How could you Barry? I thought we were Best Friends?"

Seeing the situation escalating Caitlin reached out and took Iris' hands. "Iris, they didn't tell you because you would have been in the exact same situation I was in. They care too much about you to see you in any kind of danger. Think about it you wrote a blog about him and then you were kidnapped by Tony Woodward. I know him, I don't advertise it, like you and your blog, I stay in the background patching him up when he hurts himself and I was still abducted by Captain Cold and his pyromaniac partner."

Iris calmed down at Caitlin's words. She was right. Getting mad at Barry and her Father wasn't going to change anything; they just wanted to keep her safe.

This time it was Barry that took her hands. "Believe me Iris, I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you on day one." Barry took a deep breath before he was ready to reveal his biggest secret to Iris. "I've wanted to tell you that I-"

The Ship suddenly buckled and heaved hard to the right, causing everyone and everything to fall over. Glass shattered and wood creaked.

Immediately Barry was helping both Iris and Caitlin up. "You guys Ok?" He asked hardly noticing what was happening around them.

"I'm fine." Caitlin said

"Yeah…" Iris said nodding. "What was that?"

"Trouble." Barry replied.

"_**COME OUT AND FIGHT ME FLASH**_!" Barry recognized that voice almost immediately. No sooner had the voice yelled out to them that the ship's bow dipped low.

Caitlin and Iris gripped the nearest railing. They turned around and watched helplessly as Barry lost his balance and tumbled into the main cabin. "BARRY!" They both cried out in unison as he disappeared into the main cabin.

* * *

One Minute Ago:

Paradox stood atop the arch of the bridge that connected the Gem Cities across the Missouri River. He cracked his neck, knuckles and fingers before jumping up and down in anticipation.

"_**Alright let's draw out the Flash and take my new tricks out for a test drive.**_" Ice crept all over his suited arms and spread down the bridge to the river. In mere moments the entire river was frozen locking half a dozen ships in the ice. Paradox grinned and dispersed in a thin cloud of red-black smoke before reappearing down on the frozen river.

He held out his hands and in one fluid motion gestured them up and almost in tandem all the frozen ships were raised into the air on unstable ice pillars.

"_**Heeheeheehee! COME OUT AND FIGHT ME FLASH**_!" He yelled as loud as he could

* * *

Present Time:

As Barry tumbled into the main cabin electricity raced in his eyes and in an instant he was out of the ship, back at STAR Labs, in his suit and standing in front of Paradox within a minute.

"_**You finally decided to come out to play**_."

"What do you want Paradox?" Barry demanded

"_**I just want someone I can test my new powers on.**_" Crimson electricity crackled around his right arm and in a blur he fired off a stream of red lighting at the scarlet speedster, hitting him square in the chest.

Barry fell backward and clutched his chest in pain. "Oh man that one hurt…" Paradox rushed him forcing Barry to move out of the way as the evil meta-human punched the ice with a vibrating claw, causing it to break.

* * *

Back on the ship:

"BARRY!" Iris called out as she made her way to the entrance of the main cabin. "BARRY!"

Catlin grabbed Iris from behind so she wouldn't fall. "Iris please we need to get-" The ship lunged dangerously backward causing Caitlin to let go of Iris and slide more towards the stern.

Iris whirled around just in time to see Caitlin's head it a table. "Caitlin!" she called out to her friend." She wanted to make her way over to Caitlin but she couldn't just abandon Barry in the main cabin. Unfortunately for Iris the ship made the decision for her as the ship began to split in half under pressure with the stern of the ship beginning to fall towards the frozen river below.

* * *

Barry looked up to see the stern begin to fall. Panic swept across his entire body because he knew both Iris and Caitlin were there.

He tried to run there as fast as he could but Paradox teleported in front of him and tripped his legs, causing the Flash to stumble and collide head long into another one of the ice columns.

"_**Come on Flash, I half expected you to make this a challenge**_!" Paradox mocked. He fired several icicles mixed with electricity at Barry. The scarlet speedster quickly moved to avoid them but Paradox used his teleportation power to have his electric icicles teleport right into Barry's path, stabbing him in non-vital areas. "_**Now watch as I start to take away everything you love**_." He grabbed Barry's head and forced him to watch the ship Caitlin and Iris were on. The stern of the ship fell towards the ice at dangerous speed and Barry could only watch as he glimpsed Caitlin aboard it.

"CAITLIN!" he yelled trying to throw Paradox off of him.

* * *

Aboard the stern of the ship Caitlin closed her eyes and gripped the rail as tightly as she could while waiting for the ship to collide with the ice and eventual frozen water but it never came.

She opened her eyes and hovering not too far from the ship was Hal in his Green Lantern uniform. Green light was coming from his ring and held up the ship.

Hal had his arms folded across his chest. "I can't leave you two alone can I?" he joked "I turn around for one moment and here you guys are getting into trouble."

"Holy cow! It's Green Lantern!" a kid cried out happily.

"I LOVE YOU GREEN LANTERN!" One of the waitresses yelled to the green super hero.

"Settle down." Hal said "Let me just put you all down nice and safely. There are other people who need my help."

* * *

Meanwhile on the other half of the ship Iris was still looking for Barry, after seeing Green Lantern catch the stern, saving Caitlin, Iris returned to her task of finding Barry.

"Thank god Caitlin's safe." She said to herself as she stabilized herself using the door frames. "Damn it Barry, where the hell are you?"

* * *

"_**Damn, why is Green Lantern here**_?" Paradox demanded as he let go of Barry in that instant. "_**This ruins everything**_!" He threw his arms towards Green Lantern, firing off crimson electricity as he did. Hal maneuvered through the air avoiding the dangerous electricity.

"Looks like someone wasn't taught any manners." Hal's ring flared up before he created a large fist that swung at Paradox.

The armor clad meta-human teleported out of the way, reappearing behind Hal and grabbed him in a full nelson. "_**That ring of yours Green Lantern is quite troubling. How about I take some of it away**_?"

**-Warning! Power levels at 73.58% and dropping- **

**-69.21%-**

**-52.7%-**

"What?" Hal said to himself as Paradox began to drain him dry. "Get. Off. Of. ME!" Hall mustered up his willpower to force Paradox off of him in a brilliant flash of green light. "Ring how much charge do we have left?"

-**48.11% Advice: Do not come into contact with his right arm-**

"Good to know." Hal said as he swooped down and helped Barry to his feet. "You OK?"

"I'm fine." Barry said "but Paradox has some new tricks. He's got Farooq's abilities, Mahkent's abilities and Shawna's abilities."

"So he's a power sponge who has super speed, electrokinesis, cryokenesis and teleportation. He was just draining power from my ring just by touching me so it's quite possible he now has photokinesis. I've only got about half a tank left."

"How many people are still in danger?"

"Only your girlfriend and a few others. I got everyone else of these precariously placed ships when I got here."

"Thanks Hal. Now let's take this guy out." Paradox just smirked as the two heroes rushed him.

Paradox teleported between the two and punched Hal with an ice covered fist while he grabbed Barry with his mechanical right arm. Almost immediately Barry felt Paradox begin to drain the electricity from his body, just as Farooq had so many weeks ago.

Hal blindsided paradox with half a dozen green missiles, but Paradox teleported out of the way leaving Barry in their path. The speedster quickly moved out of the way as fast as he could, but now he was noticeably slower than before.

"You Ok?" Hal asked

"I'm slower…" Barry managed to reply. "He's siphoning off my powers just like last time."

Paradox turned to the both of them and smiled "_**I honestly would have thought that the Scarlet Speedster and the Emerald Knight would have been more than enough to take me down**_."

"So, what do we do?"

"First, take out his eyes. If he can't see he can't teleport." Barry said "Then we hit him with everything we've got, and hopefully don't let him touch you with that right arm."

"Sounds easy."

* * *

Meanwhile Caitlin was helping the other people with her get off of the severed ship's stern. It wasn't safe for any of them here, but all she could do was help these people.

"Quickly, we have to get out of here." She said

"Damn, my leg!" a Man complained clutching his leg. His leg was definitely broken since it was bending at an abnormal angle.

"Hang on" Caitlin rushed over to him and snapped two legs off of a chair. Using a torn table cloth the bio engineer created a makeshift splint around the man's leg.

"Thank you." He said

"Don't mention it." Caitlin replied "Let's get you out of her." She helped him to the lowest point of the stern and helped him down and then she went back to help anyone else. As she did she looked to see Barry and Hal fighting Paradox, and they were losing by the looks of it. She could only pray that they would succeed.

She pulled out her phone. "Detective West! It's Caitlin! you need to get down to the river right away!"

"_I'm already on my way."_ Joe replied "_Cisco gave me the heads up_."

"have several ambulences come down here as well. I don't know how many were injured in Paradox's initial attack."

* * *

Together Hal and Barry rushed Paradox again this time Hal began to form a box around the mad meta-human the only direction he could teleport was up at this point. And just before paradox could teleport out of the obvious trap Green Lantern dissipated one of the walls behind him and Barry punched Paradox right in the cheek, rocketing him through the opposite wall and across the ice into one of the ice pillars.

Unfortunately the ice pillar Paradox collided with was the one that held up the ship Iris was still on. The Ice moaned and began to crack.

"No-no-no-no-no-NO!" Barry began to yell as he watched the ship fall down. He forced himself to run towards the falling debris. Every second felt like an eternity as he got closer. Seven seconds, that's all it took for him to reach it, just as the remainder of the ship began to splinter against the Ice and threaten to drown its passengers in the frozen Missouri River.

"IRIS!" Barry yelled as he ran through the crumbling ship in the fraction of a second. For Barry he was moving so fast everything else was at a standstill, even the light from Hal's ring as it formed a fist was moving slower than a snail. In that inconceivable amount of time Barry rounded up everyone still on the ship and brought them to safety just in time to see Hal knock Paradox on his back and restrain him with several large green chains.

"…Barry…?" Barry heard Iris whisper his name in her ear. Sure he wanted her to know who he was, but after this whole incident with Paradox Barry absolutely did not want her to know who he really was.

"_**It's OK Miss West**_." Barry reassured her in his flash voice. "_**He's safe, everyone is safe now**_."

"Ok, that guy was tough." Hal said as he wiped blood from his lip.

"_**Be careful Green Lantern. He can teleport**_!" Barry called to his friend as he put Iris and the other civilians down.

"Not likely." Sure enough there was a green band over his eyes, preventing Paradox from seeing the world. "It's all in a day's work Flash." Hal said to Barry. "Stop the bad guy and save the people."

"Barry? Caitlin?" the two heroes turned to see Iris coming towards them. "Where are Barry and Caitlin?"

"_**They're safe Miss West**_." The Flash replied with his vibrating voice. "_**They are on the other part of the ship right**_-"

Paradox wasn't done just yet he vibrated his body at the same frequency as Hal's green light and shattered the constructs. Standing up he extended his left hand towards Iris and fired off a large electrically laced icicle.

Hal saw it coming first and called out to the Flash as he pushed the Scarlet speedster and Iris out of the way. The icicle pierced into Green Lantern's right shoulder and discharged a fair amount of electricity effectively temporarily paralyzing his arm.

Barry flashed over to the beaten Paradox and kicked him in the face knocking him out once more.

"You Ok?" he asked Hal letting his voice turn back to normal.

"Oh my God…" Iris said as she starred at the Flash.

"Iris…I…I can expla-" Suddenly there was a deafening boom and a brilliant flash of light and Barry realized Iris wasn't looking at him; she was focused on what was behind him.

The Flash, Green Lantern and Iris turned and saw something they couldn't believe. Another Paradox was firing a large continuous stream of crimson electricity from his mechanical right arm into the air. This arc of lighting had proceeded to tear open what looked like a wormhole in the sky and it was sucking up the wreckage of the ship that Caitlin was still on, she had managed to get everyone else off but not herself.

"_**Oh no**_…_**NO**_!" Barry yelled aloud as he raced towards the ship, running right by the evil meta-human. His complete focus was on his friend who was being pulled into a wormhole to god knows where. Every step he took to get closer the ship rose a good five meters into the air. Barry started jumping on the debris just trying to reach the ship, even Hal created several platforms for Barry to jump off of but with his injured arm it was difficult to concentrate.

He stretched out his hand towards Caitlin, she reached out to him, looking at her face he saw several emotions; fear, desperation, concern, sadness, hope but they only brushed finger tips before Caitlin, and the ship disappeared into the wormhole.

"CAITLIN!" Barry yelled as he fell backward and through the ice below him into the frozen river.

* * *

Here ends the chapter

Please tell me what you liked, didn't like, look forward to/think will happen, or your general thoughts and comments, this'll help me make this story better, no more of these one to two word reviews. I would like legit reviews. I'm a big boy so I can take criticism.

Thank You, and if you sneezed while reading this Bless you.

Have a Fantastic day


	6. Rescuing Caitlin

**Disclaimer: **The following is a nonprofit Fan based story; The FLASH and all related characters are owned by DC comics, the CW and anyone I may have missed

* * *

_The Flash: Moving Forward_

Chapter 6: Rescuing Caitlin

* * *

Dr. Elias walked down an old road to an apartment building. He looked down at the slip of paper Paradox had given him to affirm the address.

He walked up to the door and pressed the buzzer

"_Who is it? What do you want?"_

"Is this the residence of William Hand? My name is Dr. Elias. I have a business proposition for you."

"_I want none of it. Go away."_

"What if I was to tell you if you help me with my running problem, I'll help you with your light problem?" Elias' proposition was met with silence but after a moment the lock on the door clicked and Elias entered the building.

When he reached the apartment the door opened ominously and Elias walked in.

The first thing the doctor noticed with the strong scent of death hovering in the room. Glancing around through the darkness he could vaguely make out the shapes of what appeared to be stuffed animals.

"That's far enough." Elias stopped when he heard the voice.

"You are William Hand correct?"

"Yes. I am William Hand."

"Could we please turn a light on? I can hardly see a thing."

"I prefer the dark. The light keeps me awake, and I cannot stand it."

"Well then my name is Dr. Darwin Elias and I need your help in dealing with a little pest."

"Why should I care?"

"Because, my pest is working with the Green Lantern."

"Just give me a moment here." He said shuffling around some large chart paper. Through the darkness Elias barely noticed several words on the leading sheets of paper; **Black Hand's Brilliant Plan**,** Black Hand's Clever Plan **And even **Black Hand's Grandiose Plan **

Apparently Paradox had not mentioned that this guy was a total buffoon. Who the hell writes out their plan on visual aids like that?

"I was working on this brilliant plan to defeat my nemesis Green Lantern just before you arrived. OW! Damn it!" William Hand said before turning the lights on. Turns out he bumped his shin into the corner of his coffee table causing him to drop all his plans.

Elias rolled his eyes, could this seriously be the man Paradox was talking about?

* * *

"CAITLIN!" Barry yelled as he jolted awake. His vision was flooded by a blinding white light and it slowly came back into focus, when it did he realized that he was on a med bed back in S.T.A.R. Labs.

"He's awake!" Cisco cried out as he Hal and Dr. Wells rushed over to Barry.

In a heartbeat Barry was ripping of all the instruments attached to him and swung his legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand up, immediately his legs gave out Cisco and Hal caught him before he hit the ground.

"Whoa Man! Take it easy you've been unconscious for the last week!" Barry turned to Cisco shocked.

"What?"

"After you fell into the ice I pulled you out." Hal said "Your body was so cold that I thought you were dead."

"You had mild hypothermia, exhaustion and you ended up going into shock." Cisco finished.

Barry looked around hoping what had happed was a bad dream, but he could not find Caitlin anywhere. "Caitlin…Where's Caitlin?" He was starting to panic.

"Barry calm down." Barry turned to see Hal over him, forcing him to remain in bed. "Calm down buddy." Barry wouldn't he kept asking for Caitlin. He resisted them and fought back when they tried to force him still, he even punched Hal in the face knocking the Green Lantern to the ground.

"He's going into shock! Cisco, get me the tranquilizer!" Cisco tossed the paraplegic scientist a syringe which Dr. Wells caught and jammed it into Barry's leg. The speedster's leg jerked and he ended up kicking Well's in the jaw, knocking him out of his wheelchair. Barry began to convulse and soon fell unconscious in Hal's arms.

Ten minutes later Barry woke up once more, this time much more calmly.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Cisco said as he came into focus

"Ugh…" Barry groaned "What the hell happened?"

"After you woke up the first time, you went ape shit on Hal and Wells." Cisco said "Hal's got a black eye and Wells, you cracked his jaw."

"Damn." Barry said holding his hand "I don't remember doing that."

"What's the last thing you do remember?"

"I remember chasing after Caitlin, and then…Oh my god…" Barry's eyes widened with realization. "Caitlin's gone isn't she?" Cisco's silence answered his question. Barry put his face into his hands and began to cry to himself. He failed to save someone important to him; it was like his mother's murder all over again where he was once again powerless to do anything. "Damn …I couldn't save her…"

"Barry, it's going to be ok man." Cisco said. He wasn't really all that great with giving Barry emotional support. That was more of Caitlin's job in that she was simply better at it than him. "We're going to find Caitlin. We'll get her back."

"How are you so certain Caitlin is even alive?"

"You've got to have a little faith man." Cisco said "Caitlin is tough. She'll pull through."

Barry exhaled loudly before leaning back into the bed. "It's all my fault." Cisco turned to his friend "I shouldn't have suggested that we tell Iris. Maybe if I didn't we wouldn't have been there when Paradox attacked."

"Dude, there was no possible way you could have known that Paradox would do the things he did."

"Still…If I was faster Caitlin would still be here…" Barry sighed "So Cisco, what exactly happened after…it happened?"

"After Caitlin was pulled into that worm hole you fell into the river. I got you out but you were going into shock and you nearly suffered from hypothermia. We almost lost you." Barry and Cisco turned to see Hal enter the med bay.

"What happened to Paradox?"

"Locked away in a special cell downstairs." Cisco replied smirking before he returned to a more solemn expression. "Not the point."

"No, it's good that that psycho is locked away." Barry said. "He can't hurt anyone anymore."

"So, what's the plan now?" Hal asked

Barry looked up at his friend with a serious face. "Now, we find a way to get Caitlin back."

* * *

Caitlin's eyes fluttered open. Sitting upright she clutched her head trying to figure out what had just happened to her. She looked around to see that she was still on the deck of the ship, but everything around her was completely different. Endless streams of golden energy raced around her, like a golden tunnel and every now and then there were flashes of red electricity.

"Where am I?" Caitlin asked aloud to herself as she stood up. Looking around she caught glimpses of images surrounding her. She couldn't make them out at first but soon she realized exactly what some of them were.

She saw two blurs of red and yellow racing around a living room, specifically around a woman. Her hands subconsciously covered her shocked mouth when she realized she was seeing the murder of Nora Allen. She saw images of High School life, College life and even a first person view of the inside of the Central City Police Department.

Suddenly she heard the sound of a large explosion, whirling around she saw an image of a large column of energy shooting skyward from a large building, STAR Labs. The image changed and from her and from her new perspective she was looking up at a skylight just as a bolt of lightning crashed through it and struck what ever was seeing the image. The images then shifted once more and she saw Herself and Cisco in STAR Labs the day Barry woke up. All the scenes then seemed to montage all of Barry's exploits as the Flash and all his experiences as Barry Allen, seeing him do his super sonic punch, seeing her and Firestorm kiss before he waas separated, her in that dress from that night in the Karaoke bar.

Caitlin had no idea where she was or how this was possible, but she knew exactly what she was seeing. She was seeing the past, specifically she was seeing Barry's past through his eyes.

And Caitlin did something she didn't think she would do, she sat down and cried into her knees.

* * *

"How long has it been?" Barry asked as he and Hal flanked Cisco to his computer.

"About a week." Cisco said solemnly as he sat down.

"A week!?" Barry was deeply troubled by this. "What about Joe and Iris? Do they know I'm here, and what happened?"

Cisco typed a few things into his computer and an article from a week ago appeared on the screen. "You may want to read this dude." Barry leaned into the screen and his eyes widened as he read the article.

_**Why Central City doesn't need the Flash Anymore**_

_By: Iris West_

Barry stopped reading and turned to Cisco with a confused look on his face. Hal and Cisco gave Barry apologetic looks and motioned for him to continue.

_The Flash, our cities resident guardian angel, battled against a meta-human, a person super powers, with the ability to move superfast, manipulate ice and project energy. Though he and another hero called Green Lantern saved the majority of those caught in the cross fire of their duel, they failed to save two of the brightest, smartest and most caring people in all of Central City. But to me these two were two of my close friends; their names were Bartholomew Henry Allen and Dr. Caitlin Snow. _

"Iris thinks I'm dead?" Barry asked turning to his two friends.

"Yeah…" Hal confirmed while folding his arms across his chest."Like Cisco said everyone thinks you and Caitlin are dead, well everyone except us, Dr. Wells and Joe."

_If the Flash weren't around Central City would be a better place, no more of these Meta-humans that seemed to come out of the wood work in response to the Flash's heroics. _

"And Iris…she now hates the Flash?" Barry asked not bothering to finish the article.

"Yeah…" Cisco said "She totally blames you for your death, which is really weird to say out loud."

"Her article exploded everywhere. Everyone wanted to know what could possibly make the Flash's number one fan turn on him in a heartbeat. Apparently many of the readers sympathize with Iris and her sense of loss." Hal added

"I should have told her sooner…" Barry said

"Told her you're the Flash? I'm sure that would have gone over well." Hal folded his arms over his chest.

"Well, if that were the case she wouldn't be saying why the city doesn't need me or think that I'm dead."

"We thought about telling her, but we decided not to." Barry turned to Cisco "That's your secret man, and it isn't ours to tell."

Barry ran his fingers through his hair and a digested the whole situation "So Barry Allen and Caitlin Snow are officially dead…"

"According to official records yes they are Mr. Allen." Wells said as he rolled into the lab. Aside from the ice pack he held against his left cheek he looked fine.

"On the plus side, you two had beautiful funerals. They even buried your empty caskets and next to your mother's grave. This makes things awkward because I gave you a real nice eulogy." Hal said trying to lighten the mood. Barry, Cisco and Wells gave him _now-is-not-the-time_ looks before Wells spoke up. "Again, not the point."

"Because of this situation, I think it would be unwise for you to leave S.T.A.R. Labs without your suit on." The doctor said to the fastest man alive.

"So I need to stop being Barry Allen and take up being the Flash full time in a City that might just hate me now?"

"Pretty much." Cisco summed up.

"Until we find a way to rectify the situation, yes." Wells affirmed. "The world thinks Barry Allen is dead. For now it's for the best if we comply and continue with our mission."

"And what about Caitlin?" Barry asked "We can't just leave her god knows where."

Wells took off his glasses. "The problem with wormholes Mr. Allen is that we know virtually nothing about them. All we have is hypothetical theoretical ideas."

"We could use Paradox's arm." Cisco said. Barry Hal and Wells turned to him. "I've been studying that thing endlessly for the last week. And I think we could jerry rig it to open another wormhole and get Caitlin out."

"Even if it works-"

"I can use my ring to stabilize the wormhole long enough for Barry to Get Caitlin out." Hal said holding up his green ring. "Can you do that ring?"

-**Affirmative-**

"How?" Barry asked

"Like I told you, this bad boy is limited only by my imagination and my willpower. I can will it to stabilize the wormhole and-"

"We don't even know if the wormhole we open will be connected with the one Caitlin went through. For all we know Caitlin is…" Wells interjected, but he stopped talking as he neared his sentence.

"What?" Barry demanded, his expression turning more serious and angry. "Caitlin is what Dr. Wells?"

"We don't even know if she's still alive Barry." Wells explained seriously. "That wormhole could have taken her anywhere, anytime, or it could have broken her down atom by atom. I'm sorry Barry, but as much as we all want Caitlin to be back here and safe, it's just not probable."

"So that's it? You're going to just give up on Caitlin?" Barry demanded as his anger rose. "If that's how you truly think of Caitlin, or Cisco, or even me, then I don't want to be any part of S.T.A.R. labs."

"I don't want to give up on Caitlin Barry." Wells said "We all want to see her back home safely, but we cannot risk your life to save one person. Caitlin is a sacrifice I don't want to make, but we need to make." Barry, furious at what Wells was saying, sped over to his uniform, changed and was about to leave. "Where are you going Barry?" Wells demanded

"I'm going for a run." The scarlet speedster replied before turning off his com link. "I need to clear my head." And with those words Barry left STAR Labs.

* * *

The Flash soon made his way to the West household. Looking in the window he saw Iris sitting on the couch, her eyes were red and puffy as if she had been crying an awful lot. In her hands he could barely make out it as a picture of him and Iris smiling widely. On her right was Joe, comforting his daughter on the 'loss' they shared. Eddie walked into the room carrying a tray with three steaming mugs of hot could only watch as the girl he's been in love with since he could remember mourned his death. Out of the corner of his eye Joe saw Barry, but didn't alert neither Eddie nor Iris to his presence. He said something to the young couple and stepped outside after grabbing his coat.

"Joe…I…" Barry was cut off when Joe embraced him in a tight hug. Tears of joy trickled down the older detective's cheeks.

"Damn, you had me worry worried there son." Joe said as he released his grip on Barry. "Oh, god we thought you weren't going to wake up."

"I've been told that several times today." Barry replied "How's Iris holding up?"

Joe sighed heavily before responding "She's devastated, been cooped up in here for since the attack. Eddie's been trying to comfort her, but she just doesn't want to accept that what happened."

"It's taking every fiber of my being to not run in there and tell her I'm alive."

"And what would that accomplish?" Joe asked "It'll probably make things worse considering you'd also be letting her in on your little secret."

"I want to tell her so bad." Barry said "If she knew about me being the Flash sooner Caitlin, Iris and I wouldn't have been down on the river when Paradox attacked."

"Son, somethings cannot be changed." Joe said "I know what you're going through but maybe this is the way things are meant to be."

Realization swept over Barry as he listened to his foster dad "No Joe… this is something I refuse to let be. I'm not just going to confine Caitlin to her fate where ever or whenever she is."

"What're you going to do Barry?"

"I'm going to rescue Caitlin."

* * *

It took them another week but eventually Barry, Hal and Cisco managed to jerry rig Paradox's arm into a portal gun that ran off of both Barry's speed and Hal's willpower. It took them awhile mainly because they were trying to get it done without Wells knowing.

Hal had received several notifications from his Green Lantern buddies to get back to some place called Oa but he just ignored them, hell he even asked his boss for another week off and it sounded like she was really pissed at him. Barry and Cisco could hear her yelling at Hal through the phone.

Iris was working late at the Central City Picture News finishing up some last minute edits for an article she had been writing.

A familiar whoosh and rustling of papers snapped her out of her thoughts. Turning around she saw the Flash. His face was still blurred so she couldn't see who he was beneath the mask.

"_**Iris…**_"

"Oh, so now you show up after two weeks?"

"_**I'm sorry."**_ He said sorrowfully "_**I'm sorry I let you and this city down.**_"

"Yeah, you really did let me down when you didn't save Barry and Caitlin." Iris retorted. "Where have you been the last two weeks?"

"_**I been recovering and trying to get even faster, so that nothing like this happens again**_. _**But What I ****need to know is w**__**hy'd you write that article**_?"

"Because it's true." She replied simply. When she continued to speak her voice rose with emotion. "Without you, there'd be none of these meta-humans. Without you Barry and Caitlin would still be here!"

"_**I wasn't around there would be no one to protect the City and there would still be meta-humans, the bad ones**_." The Flash said softly. "_**You're friends are gone because I wasn't fast enough**_. _**But I have been getting faster. I've been pushing myself to my limits and beyond so that nothing like this happens again**_."

"You say things like that a lot." Iris turned away from the crimson super hero. "Things just cannot go back to the way they were."

"**_Maybe they can_**."

"I lost two good friends that day, one of which was close to you." Iris said "And the sad thing is you don't seem to even care that Caitlin is gone."

"_**That's not true**_!" Barry tried to defend himself but Iris shut him down.

"I don't want to talk someone who claims he wants to help people and yet he doesn't seem to care about those he's close to." Iris said to him as tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing her so broken, Barry felt like he had been shot through the heart. "Let me know when that Flash comes back."

The Flash began to turn away from the love of his life. "_**I'm sorry…but I promise I'll make things right**_." With those words Barry disappeared in a blur of red and yellow.

* * *

"You think we could use this to find Caitlin?" Barry asked as he Cisco, and Hal converged over Paradox's mechanical arm. They had moved their operation to the air strip that STAR Labs hand been loaned by Ferris Air.

"Paradox used it to open the wormhole that sucked her up initially so we have reason to believe that it'll work." Cisco said as he finished some last minute tweaks. "We just need to figure out how this thing exactly works.

"So, open a wormhole, reach in, grab Caitlin and get out." Hal summarized "Not a bad plan except for the tiny details."

"Hey, it'll walk work out." Barry said flashing his best friend a cocky grin.

"Alright, I've got a theory on how this works." Cisco explained "Paradox used his super speed to make this thing work. Now, here's the interesting part. He used Blackout's DNA to make this arm project the energy outwards. So Barry, you'll need to vibrate it at an extremely high speed."

"How fast?"

"As fast as you can." Cisco explained

"Ok" Barry took a deep breath. "Let's do this." Barry placed his hands onto Paradox's arm and began to vibrate his arms and the device. Hal jammed his ring into the back of the device and lite it up with emerald light. a beam of green screeched from the opening of the gun and struck open air about twenty yards away. The Wormhole roared to life and began to pull everything in towards it.

Hal proceeded to create a solid green wall in front of him and Cisco so they wouldn't get sucked in.

Barry got into a starting position when Hal's voice stopped him. "BARRY!" The Flash turned to Hal. "Once you get Caitlin you get your asses out of there! understand?"

Barry just smiled before running into the wormhole and disappearing in a flash. Now sooner had Barry entered the wormhole that the entire thing began to distort and collapse on itself. In mere moments the Wormhole was acting like a mini black hole, sucking up everything much fiercer than initially.

Hal struggled to keep himself and Cisco out of the suction of the wormhole but they both helplessly watched as the jerry rigged portal gun was sucked up along with most of their equipment and notes.

"SHUT IT DOWN!" Hal and Cisco turned to see Dr. Wells rolling up to them with his chair going full speed in the opposite direction. "IF THIS REMAINS OPEN ANY LONGER IT WILL TEAR EVERYTHING APART!"

"NO!" Hal fired back "I CAN DO THIS! I CAN KEEP IT OPEN LONG ENOUGH!"

Wells grabbed onto a metal poll. "YOU HAVE TO STOP!"

"I'VE GOT THIS!" Hal frustratingly shot back.

In that moment Wells made a desperate move. He grabbed a loosened pipe and as he was pulled past the portal device he swung hard, leaving a large dent in the machine that sent nuts, bolts as well as some spare wires flying. He had hit it so hard that he actually smashed it through the stand it was on and once it came into contact with the ground the energy beam stopped and the portal collapsed on itself.

Hal fell to the ground exhausted while Cisco ran for the broken machine.

"Oh, man…no, no, no, no." Cisco said over and over.

"I applaud you two for managing to make a wormhole gun but I must say that was extremely reckless and stupid!" Wells chastised them like children. "What exactly were you trying to do?"

"We were doing what you wouldn't." Hal said to which the wheels in Wells' head began to turn.

"Dr. Wells because you broke the wormhole generator and stopped Hal from keeping it open; Barry's now trapped in there!"

* * *

Barry skidded to a stop, or at least he attempted to since he was in a bizarre place that seemed to be made completely out of yellow lightning.

"Whoa…" Barry wondered aloud as he looked around at his surroundings. "What the hell is this place?" All around him he saw images of not just his life, but those of Iris, and all his friends. He saw the day his mother was murdered, Hal watching his father's plane crash, Oliver seeing his father commit suicide, young Cisco, young Caitlin, young Felicity and even a young Ronnie. He could see it all.

"CAITLIN!" Barry cried out. If she was her she should be able to hear him. "CAITLIN CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

"Barry?" He heard her scanning the entire dimension, thing place they were in he saw Caitlin. She was sitting against what could have been a wall hugging her knees to her chest.

"Oh my god, Catlin!" Barry was by her side in an instant.

"Barry?" Caitlin looked up as Barry pulled off his cowl. "BARRY!" Almost immediately She leaped into his arms and wrapped her arms firmly around his neck. "Oh my god." She began to cry into his shoulder. "I thought I was going to die here alone."

"Hey, Hey it's OK Caitlin." Barry said as he began to rub her back. "Hey" He pulled back sightly. "We're going to get you home now." Barry said with a smile that gave her some reassurance. She smiled and wiped away a stray tear. Barry noticed that even though she had been trapped in this place for about two weeks she looked like she had barely been here for a day.

"Ok, let's go home." She said as Barry Lifted her into his arms bridal style. He turned around and then turned around again trying to find the way he got in here. "Barry what's wrong?"

"I have no idea how to get out of here." He said seriously before an idea crossed into his head. "Caitlin do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then hold on tight." She complied and her grip on the collar of his suit tightened "I'll get us out of here even if its the last thing I do." and Barry began to run. He started going faster and faster pushing himself further and harder than he ever had before. He felt this place calling to him as if he was a part of it, it wanted him to stay here away from all the sorrow and unhappiness of the outside, but one thought kept him going; He had to get Caitlin home.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Barry screamed and Caitlin's grip tightened even more to the point she was probably drawing blood under his suit but neither of them cared as Barry broke free from this place and the pair disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

"Gideon show me the future." Dr. Wells demanded as he sped into his secret room.

-**Certainly Dr. Wells**\- the large computer face blurred away revealing an article, an article that was different from the one Wells had seen before.

**June 26 2025 **

**The Flash is Back! Saves the City from Crisis!**

Those words nabbed the undivided attention of Eobard Thawne as he removed his glasses "My, God…Barry changed the Future."

* * *

Here ends the chapter

Please tell me what you liked, didn't like, look forward to/think will happen, or your general thoughts and comments, this'll help me make this story better, I would like legit reviews. I'm a big boy so I can take criticism.

Thank You, and if you sneezed while reading this Bless you.

Have a Fantastic day


	7. Arrival

**Disclaimer: **The following is a nonprofit Fan based story; The FLASH and all related characters are owned by DC comics, the CW and anyone I may have missed.

**A/N:** Alright I'm going to be writing shorter chapters for now to progress the story faster and to update sooner so enjoy. Also there will be comic book spoilers (for those of you who don't read comics) in this story so…you've been warned.

* * *

_The Flash: Moving Forward_

Chapter 7: Arrival

* * *

Lightning flashed like a new dawn accompanied by the sound of distant thunder.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!" In that flash of lightning Barry and Caitlin burst back into the world. Skidding to a stop Barry put Caitlin down and he immediately hunched over exhausted "Oh, man…" he said shakily.

"Are you OK Barry?" Caitlin asked worriedly.

"No, I think I'm going to-" Immediately sped over to a nearby garbage can and proceeded to release the contents of his stomach. It was kind of a good thing Barry was fast otherwise he would have gotten his lunch all over his, well Cisco's, costume. In a heartbeat Caitlin was by his side rubbing his back.

"Ok…that's never really happened before…" the bio engineer was concerned since she had never seen Barry get any kind of sickness, not even the common cold, His body would just fight it off too quickly. "Are you ok now?"

"Well, I feel a little better, though I haven't had the urge to throw up since I got my powers." Barry said

"I wish I had my purse." She groaned to herself while Barry gave her a look. "I could use a blood sample to see what's making you sick."

"Sure you don't want a swab of my vomit to analyze?" Barry joked. "I think that would tell you more about what's making me kind of sick."

"Barry That's disgusting." Barry just chuckled as Caitlin lightly hit his shoulder. "It's probably got something to do with that wormhole we came out of."

"Yeah…I guess it is." Barry agreed as he stood back up. He looked around and saw that they were in the middle of Central City Park and it was rather dark, only a few lights kept the shadows at bay. "Well…at least we're back." He said. "Come on." He said as he picked her up bridal style once more. "Let's get back to S.T.A.R. Labs." Caitlin nodded and in a flash of light they were gone from the park and back at S.T.A.R. Labs, it's when they got to the laboratory they discovered something was off.

For the most part the STAR Labs looked exactly the same, just with a lot more wear and tear on it, that and the large sign that said:

**-Coming in 2027 The Future Home to Elias Industries' Advanced Research Development-**

"Oh that can't be good." Barry said

"What's going on? Dr. Wells would never sell STAR Labs." Caitlin added "Why does it say Elias Industries owns STAR Labs? And why does it say 2027. It shouldn't take 12 years to build a building like that."

"Let's just go find Dr. Wells and Cisco and let them know we are all right, and then lets head home."

Barry nodded in agreement and together the duo entered STAR Labs.

The first thing they noticed was the abundant lack of life, and the second thing was the thin layer of dust that had accumulated seemingly everywhere.

"Hello?" Barry called out as he and Caitlin entered the main lab area they had spent six (or fifteen months depending on how you count) in. "Is anyone here?"

"Cisco?" Caitlin asked into the dark. "Dr. Wells?"

"Something seriously isn't right here." Barry said "Why does STAR Labs look like no one has been here for years?"

Caitlin walked over to her desk to find a lot of her stuff not there. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her right ear and picked up one of the few things that was still on her desk; a picture of her and Ronnie. She smiled at the memory of how it was taken just after he proposed.

"Find anything?" Barry asked as he flashed over behind her a sudden start. He caught a glance at the photo before she put it back down.

"Nothing yet." She replied. "One thing I cannot understand is where all my stuff is?" She wondered aloud. "It's not like I was trapped that long."

Barry was hit with a realization when Caitlin said that. "Caitlin, how long were you in that place exactly?" It was a longshot theory but maybe it was true.

"I don't know, maybe an hour or two. You showed up just before I lost all hope." She replied. "Why?"

"Because you only felt like you were in there for an hour or two but in actuality it was two weeks." Caitlin's eyes widened at Barry's words.

"Two…weeks…" She repeated like a broken record.

"Yeah…" Barry rubbed the back of his head. "and according to what everyone else thought you and I, well we are technically dead." Caitlin began to slump to the floor but Barry caught her and gently helped her down.

"…my…god…" She whispered softly. Barry could hear her voice begin to crack, threatening to break out into tears of sadness.

"It's going to be fine Caitlin. Two weeks isn't that bad." He wiped away a stray tear and looked her in the eyes. "It'll be like we were away on some trip or something, besides I got us out in the same day, it's just a lot later than when I left."

"Except it wasn't two weeks Mr. Allen" Barry and Caitlin looked up to see Dr. Wells entering into the main lab room. Aside from the decent scruff he had grown on his face and the dark coat he was wearing he looked relatively the same, except for the fact he was walking with no problems what so ever.

"Dr. Wells?" Caitlin asked barely recognizing him even though in her mind she saw him that morning.

"You can walk!?" Barry's eyes widened in shock and surprise. "How? When?"

Wells just gave his usual smile before he removed his glasses. "About three or so years ago, I regained my ability to walk after several years of vigorous physical therapy and a risky surgery process."

"Dr. Wells you aren't making any sense." Caitlin said "Three years ago you weren't in a wheelchair. You were paralyzed by the Particle accelerator sixteen months ago."

"Oh, you mean the same particle accelerator that created a bolt of lightning that struck Barry and created the Flash?" Caitlin and Barry nodded "That was ten years ago."

The forensic scientist and the bio engineer were both confused. "Dr. Wells, we're being serious." Caitlin spoke.

"As am I Dr. Snow," The physicist replied as he put his glasses back on after wiping them off. "The wormhole you were trapped in, the same wormhole Barry broke in and out of, it exists outside of time. You two may have been trapped in that wormhole for an hour or two, but for the rest of us you have been in there for the last ten years."

Both Barry and Caitlin's eyes widened in shock, they had thought they were in that wormhole for only a few moments or weeks but in actuality they were in there for a decade. Their friends probably though (if they hadn't already) they were dead.

"How is that possible?"

"That is what I've been hoping you would be able to tell me Mr. Allen." Dr. Wells replied "After all, you two were the ones who were trapped in the Speed Force."

"Speed Force?" Caitlin asked confused. Barry also gave Dr. Wells a confused look.

The physicist said sitting down in a chair. He gestured for Barry and Caitlin to join him at the table. "Imagine a flowing world of mystery, gold, energy, and morphing hyper-dimensional gels." Barry and Caitlin just raised their eyebrows in unison not quite understanding what Wells was describing. "It's like a massive swimming pool, and every time Barry runs he is taking some of the pool water, using it, and then pouring it back into the pool."

"OK, I think I get it." Barry replied "it's the source of my powers."

"Exactly." Wells replied "When you were struck by lightning and bathed in those chemicals you were somehow connected to the Speed Force."

"Yeah but, why call it the Speed Force? Seems rather…"

"Weird?" Caitlin finished for Barry.

"That's what Cisco and I decided to call it."

"Of course Cisco would name it."

"After Barry went into that wormhole to get you out Caitlin; the device, that you Cisco and Hal used to open the wormhole, was destroyed. Mr. Jordan has been protecting the city along with his own in his spare time, until recently."

"Wait, why isn't Hal defending-" Wells cut Barry off.

"I cannot disclose too much information about the future to you two." He said seriously. "There are only two options for you and Caitlin. Either we work relentlessly to get you back to your time, or you two stay here. It can only be one or the other, but I shouldn't be helping you return to the past if you have information about the future as it could drastically affect the time line."

Barry and Caitlin exchanged looks. Certainly staying in the future was an option, not a very good one. "We don't have much of a choice in this do we?" She asked quietly.

"All I can really say is that the future is never set in stone." Wells replied "After studying the Speed Force Cisco and I have developed a theory that there are actually an infinite amount of timelines. Each one branches off from the original 'Prime Timeline' driven by the choices of each individual, but I think neither of you are going to like this future that much."

"Actually Dr. Wells, I've been thinking." The physicist turned to the speedster. "If Caitlin and I go back to the past doesn't that mean everything here will probably change anyway?" Wells looked like he hadn't thought of that "So what's the actual harm in learning what happened here?"

Dr. Wells opened his mouth to respond but nothing came out when he realized what Barry was saying was absolutely correct.

"Why?" Caitlin asked

"This timeline exists because we went missing ten years ago." Barry explained

"And theoretically when you return to the past it means this timeline won't exist anymore regardless of the knowledge you possess." Dr. Wells finished as he stood back up. "Consider everything I told you up until now irrelevant."

"Though I recommend that you do not go learn about your future, somethings may be too much for you to handle, and there's no telling how it will affect you." Those ominous words the doctor knew very well because they molded him into who he is today. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to before I have to vacate my lab to Dr. Elias and his corporate scumbags." He turned around to leave Barry and Caitlin alone in their thoughts.

"I don't know about you Cait, but part of me wants to go home." Barry said finally after what seemed like minutes.

"I do to Barry." The bioengineer said softly. "Our whole lives are behind us, or in front of us, however this time travel thing works." Barry just chuckled at Caitlin's sense of humor in the face of this crazy predicament they found themselves in.

"Yeah; Joe, Iris, Hal…"

"Ronnie, Cisco, and even Dr. Wells…" Caitlin chimed in finishing Barry's list. "All of them are or have been assuming the worst happened to us."

"Yeah, then there's the other part." Barry said as he stood up. He extended his hand to Caitlin who took it and he helped her up like a gentleman.

"What other part?"

"The one that's telling me to find out what happened to everyone. And since we're stuck here we might as well make the most of it."

"So, where are we going first?" She asked

"First I need to get some regular clothes." Barry said looking down at his Flash Costume. "Something tells me I may want to have anything normal to wear after being 'dead' for ten years." Caitlin just smiled and chuckled lightly as she and Barry turned to leave STAR labs. "Then, we start telling everyone we're alive."

* * *

Here ends the chapter

Please tell me what you liked, didn't like, look forward to/think will happen, or your general thoughts and comments, this'll help me make this story better, I would like legit reviews. I'm a big boy so I can take criticism.

Thank You, and if you sneezed while reading this Bless you.

Have a Fantastic day


	8. Two New Meta-Humans

**Disclaimer:** The following is a nonprofit Fan based story; The FLASH and all related characters are owned by DC comics, the CW and anyone I may have missed.

Thanks to all of you who reviewed and waited extremely patiently; **Starcalista, dreamworld, thatmarvelgeek, Marcus S. Lazarus, ISeeItIShipIt, ButterflyBlueEyes, brico4899, Guest (1), Adrien, 20080634, **and **AnimeGalaxy.**

**A/N**: So I went back and combined Chapters 8 and 9 so here's the new chapter 8 which is longer and has a bit more detail. I apologize for the extremely long wait but I already sort of explained myself.

* * *

_The Flash: Moving Forward_

Chapter 8: Two New Meta-Humans

* * *

Meanwhile at the Central City Bank there was a click and the door to the main vault swung open revealing a group of men in full black suits and face masks

"Let's go boys we've got" Their leader said as he pulled back his left sleeve and looked at the six watches on his wrist. "Exactly three minutes and twenty five seconds to load up as much monetary items as we can."

His gang made their move and began to shove stacks and stacks of cash, jewelry and some gold into black duffle bags.

"Time's up, let's get moving." William Tockman said to his cohorts. All of them except one stopped stuffing bags. "You have wasted fifteen seconds." Tockman pulled out a small pistol and shot the one who hadn't stopped stealing. "Head to the van, you have ninety five seconds." They grabbed the dead man's bag and all headed to the back of the bank and out the door they came in.

As they started up the van and began their getaway a lone figure landed in front of the oncoming van.

He wore a black and orange t-shirt with thick shoulder pads, black pants, a vest that appeared to be made of Kevlar, and dark combat boots. His crew-cut showed off some of his black hair while the majority of his face was obscured by the orange lensed goggles he wore. On each arm he wore what looked like mechanical gauntlets each one had an orange glow on the palm.

"Shit it's him!" Tockman said nervously "Shoot him!" Some of his men pulled out their guns and began to shoot.

The man in front of them just held out his hands and projected an energy field in front of him. The bullets harmlessly hit the field and felt to the ground devoid of all motion. He pushed his arms forward and projected a powerful wave of nearly invisible energy at the oncoming van and the moment it struck the van quivered and began to fall apart before it skidded to a stop leaving the robbers kind of dumb struck for a moment.

The thugs pulled out their guns while Tockman made a break for it. In an instant all their guns began to shake before falling apart.

"Alright, this is your last chance." The vigilante said "Surrender before I'm forced to hurt you some more." They didn't.

Each one charged the vigilante and he proceeded to beat the snot out of them using vibrational blasts, knocking them down and out. He then proceeded to run after Tockman and corner the Clock King in an abandoned building.

"It's over Clock King." The vigilante said

William Tockman just chuckled as he pulled out a gun and aimed it at the hero. "Oh? And what's going to stop me from shooting you?"

The vigilante made a gesture that resembled his eyes rolling. "You know that's not going to work on me."

"Perhaps not" Tockman said "but it does take 0.009 seconds for a bullet to travel ten feet." The air around the vigilante began to vibrate creating a barrier.

"That's why I've got this barrier." He held out his hand and Tockman's pistol began to shake before it fell to pieces "And now you've got no weapon."

Tockman grunted and held his hands up in surrender. The vigilante approached him and produced a pair of hand cuffs form his belt. "William Tockman you are charged with Third Degree Robbery," Tockman took this chance to try and catch the hero off guard by drawing a knife to slash the vigilante's throat but his fist was stopped and the hero punched him in the face knocking him out cold. "You're under arrest." He said as he cuffed Tockman.

Raising his left hand to his ear he activated his comm. "Hey Eddie. I've got a special delivery for you tonight."

_"Does it have anything to do with the alarms going off at the Central City Bank?"_

"Uh, yes…"

_"Alright Cisco I'm heading over there now. See you soon."_

**-Meta-human signatures detected-**

"Hold that thought Eddie, I'm getting a new Meta-human signature."

_"We haven't had one of those in a while."_

"Yeah, lucky me. It's two." Cisco said as the hologram dissipated "Hopefully these guys are friendly unlike the last dozen or so."

"_Let me know if you need some back up."_

"Will do Eddie." Cisco ended the call. The Vigilante looked down at his wright gauntlet as a hologram of Central City was projected out from it, highlighting the Meta-human signal. "Haven't had any meta humans in a while." He said to himself. "This'll be fun then, I wonder what I'm going to name you?"

* * *

Not too far from Cisco, Barry and Caitlin were walking down the street. Barry had decided to not use his speed due to the fact the City was very different from what it had been ten years ago, there were new buildings and restaurants, even streets had their signs changed.

"So where does Cisco live again?" Barry asked turning to Caitlin.

"Well, his apartment should be around here, but everything's different now." Caitlin looked up from the phone she and Barry were forced to buy.

When they had walking into the store the teller almost laughed at them for having such out dated phones. They were forced to buy the cheapest most up to date phones they could.

"Agh! This is so frustrating!" She sighed. These new phones were nearly impossible for her to figure out. Thousands of different holographical HUDs were projected in their faces that they couldn't decipher what was what. "Were in our mid-twenties and we can't figure out how these phones work! I mean seriously we're supposed to be part of the techy generation and yet we're like…like…"

"Our Parents?" Barry filled in. "or Grandparents."

"Exactly."

Barry just chuckled. Sure it was weird that they were now trapped in the future but somehow they could only see the positives and Barry couldn't see himself being stuck in the future with anyone else, wait? What? How could he not see himself stuck here with anyone else? Shouldn't he be easily able to imagine Iris here with him? Why could he only think about Caitlin? Was it because right now she is the only remnant from the life they had? Or was it something more? No, it couldn't be.

"Barry!" Caitlin calling his name snapped him out of his thoughts. "You Ok? You spaced out there for a second."

"Huh? No, I'm fine." Barry said "Wait, why did we stop?"

"Because we're lost." Caitlin told him.

"Great." Barry said he looked down the road and a man in a large coat and hat was walking briskly towards them. Being suspicious Barry quickly wrapped an arm around Caitlin's arm and pulled her close "Laugh at something I said." he whispered to her.

"What?"

"Just laugh."

"Hahaha!" Caitlin let out a forced laugh.

"That was such a fake laugh." Barry was trying not to laugh at Caitlin, who just rolled her eyes.

"Don't move!" Barry and Caitlin looked up to see the man aiming a gun at them. They were startled at first but soon Barry grew a wide grin on his face.

"Are you serious?" He asked. "You're mugging us? Seriously out of everyone in all of Central City you picked us."

"What is wrong with you?" The mugger demanded as he shifted his gun between Barry and Caitlin. "Stop talking and give me all your credits! Now!"

"Um…What are credits?" Caitlin asked. The mugger looked between the two of them like they each grew a second head.

"This isn't funny." The man said as he cocked back the hammer and aimed at Barry's head. "I'm gonna count to three and if you don't give me your credits I'm gonna blow a hole in the both of yous!"

"Ok, but you're really going to hate yourself." Barry said smirking while he positioned himself between Caitlin and the mugger.

The mugger pulled the trigger, and in that instant Barry and Caitlin were gone and so were the man's clothes and gun and standing next to him was a Cop who looked just as confused as the man.

Barry put Caitlin down not too far from where they were and started to chuckle out loud while Caitlin began to berate him for his recklessness.

"Oh, come on Caitlin. You've got to admit that was pretty funny."

"Maybe it was but if you weren't faster than a bullet we would both be dead right about now."

"Stop right there you Metas!" Barry and Caitlin were startled by the arrival of a second voice behind them. "Put your hands behind your head and turnaround so I can see you." Barry and Caitlin did as they were told and when they turned around both of them and the man who was arresting them were shocked. "Barry? Caitlin?" He said realizing who they were. He lowered his hands from his friends and quickly closed the gap between them. After getting a good look at them Cisco embraced his friends, who he thought were long dead, in a tight hug. "Oh, my god" He said through tears "I thought you guys were dead."

"Cisco?" Caitlin asked surprised to see their friend dressed up like a super hero "Is that you?"

Cisco pulled back from the embrace and took of his goggles. "The one and only." He proudly proclaimed. "Oh, don't call me Cisco, it's Vibe when I'm in costume." He added.

"Vibe?" Barry asked

"Yeah, Vibration Inducing Badass Exo-suit, or V.I.B.E. for short." Caitlin just laughed at the name. "What? Dumb name? I'll have you know it took me a whole month to come up with that one."

"No, I actually like the name." Caitlin said. "Oh its good to see you Cisco." She embraced he best friend tightly.

"Good, now tell me how the hell you aren't dead? And why you look like you haven't aged a day." Cisco asked as he and Caitlin separated from the bone crushing hug.

"It's a long story Cisco, ok maybe not that long," Barry said smiling "But it is one you, Joe, Iris, Hal and even Eddie and Ronnie might want to hear." Cisco shifted uncomfortably. "Wait, Cisco what's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just…you guys might not like what you learn."

"What are you saying Cisco?" Caitlin asked before Cisco sighed heavily.

"Come on I'll take you guys to Iris' house. You can explain it to everyone there. And in the mean time you can explain to me why my suit is saying both of you are meta-humans." Cisco said turning to Caitlin.

Caitlin's eyes widened as both Barry and Cisco looked at her, not even she knew she was a meta-human. She didn't have any powers from the particle accelerator so why did Cisco's machine say she was a meta?

"What?" Was the only word that came out of her mouth.

* * *

Over in the Park where Barry and Caitlin had reemerged from the Speed Force, two men were standing there with equipment. One of these men was a scientist and the other was Paradox.

"Is this the place Elias?" the man wreathed in red electricity inquired.

"Yes it is Paradox." Dr. Elias replied "It's brimming with Tachyons."

"So, the Flash is back after nearly a decade of being dead." Paradox said grinning.

"Finally we can get more access to the Speed Force." The greedy scientist said. "Wait a minute" Paradox perked up at Elias' words. "I'm picking up signals for two meta-humans in this location." He turned to Paradox. "The Flash isn't alone."

"All the better."

* * *

"What do you mean I'm a meta-human Cisco?" Caitlin said firmly and defensively. "There's no way I'm a Meta!"

"Well Gideon here says you're both Meta-humans." Cisco said "And we all know Barry is a meta-human so there is a high chance that you've also become a meta-human in your absence Caitlin."

"Look Cisco I'm perfectly normal." Caitlin replied calming herself down a bit. Barry turned to look at her, filled with concern. "Look I don't have powers." She extended her hands and began to wave it back and forth. "See no pow-" She was cut off when she saw their expressions. "What are you two looking at?"

Your hands…" Cisco began to say but his shock got the better of him. "They're so, so…"

"Fast." Barry finished.

To Caitlin, her hands were moving back and forth at a normal pace, but to Barry and Cisco they were moving super-fast, like a blur.

When Caitlin focused on her hands she could see them moving quickly, like Barry's powers. Freaking out a bit Caitlin grabbed her wrist and tried to stop her hand. "What's happening to me?" Barry immediately took her hand and held it still, or as still as he could.

"Cait, Cait look at me." Barry kept trying to calm her down and get her to forget about her vibrating hand. "Cait!" He practically yelled her name and finally got her attention. "I get it, you're scared and confused. I was the exact same way when I first got my powers." Caitlin opened her mouth to respond but she closed it almost as soon as she opened it. "Just look at me Cait." He said gently as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumbs. Slowly, very slowly, her hand stopped shaking and returned to its normal non vibrating state.

"Oh man" Cisco ran his hands through his short hair. "You've got speed powers Caitlin! I guess this makes you the Lady Flash." The bioengineer was not amused by the nickname Cisco just gave her. "Sorry, not a good time for that."

Barry and Caitlin turned to Cisco. "How is that possible?" The Flash asked. Aside from himself, The Reverse-Flash, and Paradox no one had developed speed powers. Caitlin also looked like she really wanted an explanation.

"It must have been the Speed Force." Cisco said "Caitlin's exposure to the Speed Force caused her to absorb some of its energy granting some of the same abilities as you Barry."

"That…actually sounds very simple." Caitlin turned to look at Barry surprised how well he was taking the fact she had the exact same powers as him, Ok maybe not exactly the same powers after all if she did get them from absorbing some of this Speed Force then there was no telling if this was permanent or temporary. Personally Caitlin was hoping this was very temporary and maybe a dream.

"I'm glad you two are taking this so seriously but how do I stop?" Her hand was once again shaking uncontrollably.

"Here, let me help." Barry said as he took her hand "just try and concentrate on it stopping. After a while stopping yourself from vibrating will be second nature." He reassured her as her hand slowed down until it looked normal.

"Thanks Barry."

"No problem Cait. At least I can help you control your powers since, you know, they're identical to mine."

"Uh, did I miss something while you two were gone?" Cisco asked looking at how Barry's hands still held Caitlin's.

They let go and Barry turned back to Cisco. "Um, I think a better question is what did WE miss over the last ten years?"

"Oh" Vibe said slightly somber. "There may be some things you guys don't like here."

"Cisco we can handle it, now let's all head to Joe's house and let him know we're alive."

"Can't do that Barry." Barry opened his mouth to ask why but Cisco answered his question before it was even asked. "Joe…Joe is dead." The words hung in the air somberly as Barry felt his legs give out from under him and he collapsed to the ground. Caitlin caught him, thanks in part to her new super speed, and eased him down the rest of the way having his upper body propped up against her.

Looking up at Cisco with an expression of utter disbelief and tears in his eyes Barry asked his friend one thing. "When?"

"Two years ago." Cisco hung his head a little lower. "During an attack by Grodd."

"Grodd? What's a Grodd?" Barry asked

"He's a Gorilla." Caitlin explained. "One of the animal subjects we had back at S.T.A.R. Labs. He was actually really sweet whenever I visited him." She reminisced a time when Grodd handed her one of his things. "Aside from me the only other person he liked was Dr. Wells. They had this, special relationship before he disappeared after the Particle Accelerator explosion."

"And before he went all Planet of the Apes on us." Cisco added "Did I mention he hates humans aside from Wells and Cait?"

"So this gorilla killed Joe" this wasn't a question.

"Worse, he used his mind control abilities to force Eddie to kill Joe." Barry and Caitlin were stunned. Eddie, the goody two shoes cop was forced to kill his partner and girlfriend's father by a telepathic gorilla. "Joe and Eddie had cornered Grodd. We had no idea his telepathy had gotten so much stronger, and he…he forced Eddie and Joe to turn their guns on each other. Joe died on route to the hospital while Eddie…well perhaps you should see for yourself."

"Cisco, what happened to everyone else?" Barry asked. "How many others have died?" Vibe hesitated not wanting to answer knowing how hard his two best friends would take it.

"It would be easier if I just show you." With a sigh Cisco held out an open palm and multiple holograms appeared. Holograms of Ronnie, Hal, Oliver, Joe, Snart and even a bunch of other people Barry and Caitlin did not recognize.

Dr. Snow couldn't bring herself to turn away from the image of Ronnie. The man she loved, lost and found again was dead and this time it was for real. She could not feel them but tears began to well up in her eyes.

Cisco noticed his friends' distress and turned the hologram off. "Every one of them died over the last decade." Barry and Caitlin turned to Cisco with full attention. "After you guys vanished, well I guess you just came here, heroes were no longer untouchable. Anyone who has the ability to do the right thing is afraid to stand up and put it all on the line. So now there's only a few of us heroes left; me, the Atom, Artemis, and a few others. Sadly more and more heroes are giving up too early when it gets too hard."

"But why is Snart on your list of fallen heroes? He kidnapped me and threatened Barry."

"Captain Cold joined us several years after you time jumped."

"Us?" Caitlin asked

"Oh, right you never met the other team."

"What other team?" Barry asked

"Ray Palmer, Professor Stein, Sara Lance, Leonard Snart, Mick Roy, Kendra Saunders, Jay Jackson, Cater Hall and Rip Hunter." Cisco rambled off nine names.

"Still doesn't explain it." Barry added. "We don't even know half those people."

"Well whatever, Snart isn't a bad guy, he may be a thief but he developed a code after you vanished. One of his main reasons for joining us was because 'Without the Flash, Central City just isn't fun anymore.'" Not believing what he was saying, Barry gave Cisco a questioning look. "Look, Snart may have been a thief but honestly he and Heatwave made good allies, especially after Snart's sister took over the Rouges."

"But, what about Ronnie? And Hal? And Oliver?" Caitlin began to ask desperately.

"All three of them died saving their Cities or in Hal's case the world." Cisco explained.

Tears began to well in Caitlin's eyes at the thought of Ronnie being truly dead in this timeline. It was something she just didn't think she could handle. "How? How did Ronnie die?"

Cisco looked nervously towards Caitlin before taking a deep breath. "Ronnie…He was stabbed through the heart by a Meta-human names Carl Sands, A.K.A. Shadow Thief."

And Caitlin lost it. Her legs gave out beneath her and her hand instinctively flew to her mouth to cover an inaudible gasp while the tears began to cascade down her cheeks. She felt like she was crying for quite some time, maybe a few minutes or maybe it was a few hours either way she only stopped when She felt Barry place a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"So, everyone we know and love is dead." Barry restated that fact to which Cisco nodded.

"Well, not quite everyone." Vibe began. "Iris and Eddie are still around. Come on, I'll take you guys to see them."

* * *

Back at the rundown lab Dr. Wells walked the halls of his facility. When he first went to the past to kill Barry he found himself trapped in the past for fourteen years and then when things were looking up Barry runs into the Future and leaves the Reverse-Flash trapped in the past once more. Now after a quarter of a century of being trapped in his equivalent of the Stone Age he was even more desperate to get home.

Placing a hand on the usual wall Eobard Thawne entered into his lab and walked up to the control panel.

**-Good Evening Dr. Wells-** The holographic face projected outward.

"This isn't the time for formalities Gideon." The Time Traveling villain reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out two vials of blood. "I need you to run an analysis on these blood samples."

**-Certainly, might I ask what they are for?-**

"I just want to see how Dr. Snow's time in the Speed Force affected her." He put the blood vials into the slots and they vanished into the machine.

-**Of course-** Gideon's face blipped out of focus and two screens came to the forefront. Both showed blood streams were moving extremely quickly, though one was slower than the other -**Dr. Snow's blood is showing signs of hyper excitement-**

"Interesting, Dr. Snow has developed Super Speed." He looked closely at the samples. One was continuously slowing down while the other was speeding up. "No, her blood is absorbing the momentum of Barry's blood." A chair came out of the ground and Dr. Wells sat down. "Dr. Snow has become a Speed Stealer." He turned to the other wall and placed his ring against it revealing his yellow suit. "As Barry always said, two speedsters are better than one."

* * *

Cisco led Barry and Caitlin up the steps to Joe's old house.

"Iris lives in Joe's old house?" Barry asked as they stopped in front of the door.

"Yeah, after Joe was killed Iris moved back in this house with Eddie. She didn't have the heart to see it go on the market since it was all she had left of Joe and you."

Cisco rang the doorbell and a moment later the door opened revealing a little boy and a little girl both looked to be around five maybe six years old. They both had black hair and their skin was a slightly lighter shade than Iris' tone.

"Uncle Cisco!" The two kids cried out happily before they wrapped their little arms around Cisco.

"Hey Dawn, Don." Cisco embraced the kids. "How are you two doing?"

"We're great!" the boy Don said happily.

"Did ya catch any bad guys today?" Dawn asked

"I sure did." Cisco said "Oh, I want you two to meet some friends of mine." Cisco turned around. "Dawn, Don, these are Barry and Caitlin, two of my best friends."

Caitlin crouched down to their level and smiled warmly at them. "It's nice to meet you."

Barry just stood there analyzing the two kids and his heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces. Any possible future he apparently had with Iris was flushed down the drain if he wasn't around. Sure he was currently, or at least he was dating, Linda ten years ago it just couldn't fill the void in his heart that presented itself everytime he saw Iris with Eddie and now knowing that she and Eddie would have a decent life even having two kids it just hurt.

"If you are Uncle Cisco's friends how come we've never seen either of you?" Don asked

"Don you dummy." Dawn nudged her twin in the ribs before pointing at Barry. "That's Uncle Barry. The one mommy always talks about."

"Right, the one from all the photos."

"Dawn, Don! Who's that at the door?" A feminine voice called out from around the corner. Hearing that voice Barry perked up recognizing it immediately.

Iris West walked out from around the corner and the moment she saw Barry she froze and dropped the plate she was holding, in a rush of speed and a flash of electricity Barry as inches from her having caught the plate.

Barry slowly rose until he was standing u straight; his face was mere inches away from Iris'. "Hey Iris"

Tears were beginging to form in her eyes as she cupped barry's face and felt his features. She didn't know if this was a dream or not and right now she was praying that it wasn't.

"Is it really you?" She asked

Barry placed his hands onto Iris' and his smile grew. "Yeah, it's me."

"Oh my god…" Iris let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and out of nowhere Iris leaned in and kissed Barry on the lips. Barry was taken aback by the sudden lip connection and he was upset when she pulled back. "That's for being alive." Iris said. **SLAP** Out of nowhere iris slapped Barry across the face. That startled Barry far more than the kiss. That's for lying to me about everything." Barry stood there rubbing his cheek before being caught off guard again when Iris pulled him in close once more. "And this, this…I don't know why I'm doing this." The moment their lips met they both melted into each other. Barry's arms slowly drifted down to Iris' waist while her hands trailed down his cheeks and snaked their way around his neck as they deepened the kiss.

"EWW!" Barry and Iris broke apart when they heard Don, Dawn and Cisco simultaneously. "Gross!"

Caitlin had watched Iris and Barry, her heart had felt a slew of emotions none that she could process. She was happy for Barry and Iris, but at the same time it felt like she was being stabbed with a knife and Caitlin knew she would be lying if she said she didn't picture Barry kissing her like that.

"Cisco, why don't you take the kids to the kitchen. I just finished preparing the pasta."

"Sounds good." Cisco said as he took Don and Dawn's hands. "Come on kids. Your mom made Pasta."

"Yay!"

"I'll go with you." Caitlin interjected not really wanting to eb in the same room as Barry and Iris at the moment.

"Actually Cait, can you stay?" Barry asked her specifically. "Well, I mean we're both in the same predicament you know?"

Caitlin smiled before taking the few steps so she was standing close to Barry and Iris.

"Ok, so Um, let's sit down." Iris said as she led them over to the sofa.

Looking at the piece of furniture Barry just chuckled to himself. "I guess some things never change. Not even after a decade."

Iris ran a hand through her hair and awkwardly looked back and forth. "Uh, sorry about that, that kiss was kind of…uncalled for."

"Huh? Oh, No, no…no it was…well that was…"

"Incredibly stupid." Iris put the words from his mouth and contorted them into something else. "I just couldn't control myself you know?"

"I wouldn't say that." Barry said while shrugging his shoulders in an adorkable way.

"Yes it was. I'm a married woman and here I am kissing my foster brother after believing him dead for ten years."

"Oh, we weren't dead." Barry gestured to himself and Caitlin. "We were sort of blasted into the future."

"You mean Caitlin was blasted into the Future and you **ran** after her, right Barry?" Barry and Caitlin looked at her with wide eyes.

"When'd you find out?" Caitlin asked.

"Shortly after Barry vanished looking for you." Iris said to the doctor. "When The Flash rescued me from the falling ship I heard you voice Barry. And shortly after you disappeared I went to Cisco and Dr. Wells to see if they were working on a way to bring you back. Heard them speaking about how you ran into a wormhole after Caitlin the previous day, the whole thing just clicked in my head."

"Are you mad? You know that I was lying to you about it?" Barry asked nervously.

"At first I was beyond mad. You were my best friend Barry. How could you lie to me about something like you being the Flash?"

"Believe me Iris, I wanted to tell you so bad. I wanted to tell you as soon as I found out about my powers but I didn't. I wanted to keep you safe."

"Huh, that's funny."

"What's funny?"

"That doesn't sound like the Barry Allen I know and loved. That sounded more like my dad." Barry hung his head in defeat. When he looked up he could see the tears and hurt in her eyes.

"Iris, I know you're mad at me and Joe but please, please don't take it out on anyone else." Barry pleased with the love of his life, the same woman who apparently moved on when he was 'dead'.

"I didn't take it out on anyone Barry." She replied before her voice began to choke. "I just…I just pushed my dad away Barry." Barry made a move to comfort her but she waved away his hand. "When my dad died Barry I felt so alone I didn't get to say goodbye to him, like what with happened with you and Caitlin. The only person I could talk to was Eddie and even then he was as upset as me."

"Cisco told us what happened." Caitlin chimed in. "We're so sorry Iris."

"If only we were there." Barry took her hands and looked Iris in the eyes. "If we were there we could have saved both Joe and Eddie from Grodd."

"It wasn't your fault." Iris reassured them.

"No, it is Iris!" Barry's tone startled both Iris and Caitlin. "I swear to you Iris, when Caitlin and I get back to the past we'll keep joe safe no matter what!"

"Barry…" Caitlin placed a hand on his shoulder to try and reassure him but Iris beat her to it with words.

"Barry, I've known you for fourteen years and even then I never really knew you, but I did know that you would do everything you could to help the people you care about." She wiped away a tear from Barry's face. "Let the past go Barry."

"But, I…I can't…we can't." Barry looked from Caitlin back to Iris. "How can I let go of the past when that's exactly where we belong? I swear to you Iris when Cait and I get back we'll fix everything to the way it's supposed to be." He was determined to find the man who murdered his mother, stop Paradox, keep Joe, Ronnie, Hal and everyone else alive and one day win Iris' affection.

"Barry…" Iris sighed. "As much as I hate that my dad is gone and that we missed a decade together I still love my life here. I have a solid career at Central City Picture News, I have Dawn and Don, and I have Eddie."

"But-"

"I don't want things to change Barry." Iris cupped his cheek. "I've accepted how my life's turned out and I honestly don't want it to change. I think you should try and move on."

"Uh Iris." The three of them turned when they heard Cisco's voice from the kitchen. "A little help?" Cisco poked his head around the corner, Barry and Caitlin noticed Iris's kids literally hanging from Cisco's arm and leg.

Iris smiled before getting up and heading over to her kids, leaving Barry and Caitlin in the living room.

"So, what do we do now?" Caitlin asked.

"Well, the way I see it we have two options; one we can still try and get back to the past and prevent all of this from happening or"

"Or?"

"We could stay here and start moving forward with our lives." Barry said to the lovely Dr. Snow.

* * *

This is the end of the chapter

Please tell me what you liked, didn't like, look forward to/think will happen, or your general thoughts and comments, this'll help me make this story better; I'm a big boy so I can take criticism. And if you Review you get a Shout Out and questions answered either Privately or in the next chapter.

Have a Fantastic day


End file.
